Punta Cana, Dominican Republic – Joeldermen was eight shots behind before winning the tee off from the tee off on Thursday, setting a course record at 10 under 62 to take a two-shot lead in the Corales Punta Cana Championship.
Damen, who won the PGA Tour victory four years ago in this opposition field tournament in the Dominican Republic, won the only PGA Tour, finished with three birdies on the final four holes on the Corales course at Punta Cana Resort.
He led Keith Mitchell, Garrick Higggo and Matt Wallace in two shots in a day where more than half of the 132-man field in the ’60s was filmed.
Damen played in the afternoon, but the wind was relatively mild throughout the day.
Tournament winners will win two-year exemptions and spots for next month’s PGA Championship. It takes place the same week as RBC Heritage, a signature event in South Carolina.