'He's Still My Best Friend' - Joel Dahmen Opens Up On Split With Caddie Geno Bonnalie

Dahmen and Bonnalie's professional relationship ended last month after 20 years working together and six professional victories

Joel Dahmen and an inset of him and former caddie Geno Bonnalie shaking hands
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Joel Dahmen says he and former caddie Geno Bonnalie remain best friends as he explained the reason for the pair's split.

Dahmen and Bonnalie rose to fame via Netflix's Full Swing docuseries and officially split after last month's Scottish Open following a 20-year working relationship and six professional victories.

Dahmen has missed 11 of 20 cuts this season but has posted T17 and T39 finishes since switching loopers.

He had Brian Frazier on the bag at the Barracuda Championship and then his instructor and Oregon State men's golf head coach Jon Reehoorn at the 3M Open.

The switch appears to have paid off, with Dahmen carding a 61 to open the Wyndham Championship. The Washington man made 10 birdies and a solitary bogey to lead after round one with a score of nine-under-par.

He sits 101st in the FedEx Cup standings and needs a runner-up finish with no more than two other players to reach the Playoffs, which begin next week.

After his stunning opening round, he explained that he and former caddie Bonnalie remain best friends and also said he expects to see the caddie back out on tour soon.

"Man, I love Geno. We still text almost daily. He's doing well," Dahmen said.

"Yeah, I mean, I miss him but sometimes the hardest - you have to do something hard to - look, it wasn't an easy decision. I won't say I'm not happy about it but like it's hard.

"He's my best friend, he's still my best friend. But I had to change something with me. It was more about me. It was my mentality, it was what I was doing and I need to take ownership of what I was doing.

"I was not doing a good job of that. So a way for me to do it is as simple as just playing golf on my own a little bit.

"So yeah, I love him, I miss him. I think we'll see him out here again soon."

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, X and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 and 2025 Masters from Augusta National and was there by the 18th green to watch Rory McIlroy complete the career grand slam. He has also covered five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

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