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Joel Dahmen

Joel Dahmen carded a final round 69 for a wire-to-wire victory at PGA Canada Tour's Syncrude Boreal Open.

It was the second win of the season in three events for the American which gives him a commanding lead in the Order of Merit.

"I played really solid. I hit it great again," said Dahmen, who claimed the PC Financial Open three weeks ago in Vancouver for his first PGA TOUR Canada win. "I actually missed the first green, but after that I settled down and I hit it great. I didn't make many putts, but I didn't really have to. I made a birdie on 9 to take a five shot lead into the back nine, and after that nobody really made a push towards me."

Dahmen opened the week with a 9-under 63 and never looked back to become the first wire-to-wire winner on the tour since John Ellis at the 2008 Mexican PGA Championship.

The victory sees Dahmen continue what has been a breakthrough year, one that looked unlikely last winter when he admitted he felt disappointed by his performance in 2013. Dahmen had a handful of chances to win last season but was unable to convert and finished 22nd on the Order of Merit.

"It's crazy. Literally last year, this winter, I was sitting on the couch all bummed out and all of a sudden stuff is happening and dreams are being realized," said Dahmen. "I'm very close to doing a lot of great things in the next year, so I'm excited."

With the win, the former University of Washington Husky puts himself in great position to play in his first PGA Tour event. The top three on the Order of Merit through the Staal Foundation Open presented by Tbaytel earn a spot in the RBC Canadian Open.

"This virtually locks up my RBC Canadian Open spot, I'm pretty sure, so I get to play my first PGA TOUR event in a month or so. That's going to be incredible," said Dahmen, who will also make his second career Web.com Tour start next week at the United Leasing Championship presented by PTI thanks to a sponsor's exemption.

Five shots behind Dahmen in second was PGA Tour Canada rookie Ricky McDonald of Edmonds, Washington. One shot further back was Las Cruces, New Mexico's Tim Madigan, who posted his second consecutive top-three finish following a tied for second result in Victoria.

Ryan Williams of Surrey, B.C., finished fourth, seven strokes behind Dahmen. Seann Harlingten of West Vancouver and Riley Wheeldon of Richmond, B.C. were the only other Canadians to finish in the top 10, ending up in a tie for eighth.

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