Walking With Tigers

Awarded “Best Sports Feature Story” in the 2018 Society of Professional Journalists’ Pacific Northwest Excellence

Joel Dahmen overcame the loss of his mother to cancer only to fight the dreaded disease himself. Through it all he was a survivor, and never lost sight of his dream of playing on the PGA Tour. In August 2016, Dahmen gained the right to chase the dream for real, but learned quickly that staying on the tour may be harder than getting there. Geno Bonnalie is also a dreamer who lives life with a special zest. He believes in Joel so much that he gave up a safe and secure lifestyle to become his caddie. Together, the two small-town kids face a huge uphill battle seeking success on golf’s biggest stage. Their journey touches upon a full range of human emotions—elation, gut-wrenching disappointment, money woes and self-doubt. Will the two young friends succeed? The odds are very much against them.