Clarkston native Joel Dahmen rallies for 1-under 69, shares fifth entering final round

Clarkston native Joel Dahmen scaled the leaderboard in both directions Saturday at the RBC Canadian Open before a strong finish.

Dahmen capped a down-and-up round with three birdies over the last seven holes for a 1-under-par 69 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ontario. He shares fifth place at 9-under 201 with Tommy Fleetwood, Sam Burns and Trace Crowe.

Dahmen is five shots behind Robert MacIntyre, who is 14 under after a 66. Ben Griffin, Ryan Fox and Mackenzie Hughes, who was born in Hamilton, are tied for second at 10 under.

MacIntyre, who shared the second-round lead with Fox, fell four shots off the pace but played the final five holes in 5 under.

Dahmen dropped from third place into a tie for 18th after starting with a double bogey and a bogey. He quickly responded with a tap-in eagle on the par-5 fourth and a birdie after driving the 306-yard par-4 fifth.

He bogeyed No. 10 and 11 but came back with birdies at 12, 14 and 17. Dahmen made an unconventional birdie on the 577-yard, par-5 17th. After a 41-yard recovery shot from the rough, Dahmen’s third shot from 224 yards came to rest 4 feet from the cup and he holed the putt.

Dahmen, a two-time State 3A champion at Clarkston High, and Crowe will tee off at 10:55 a.m. Sunday. MacIntyre and Griffin are in the final group at 11:25.

The final round will be televised on Golf Channel from 10:30 to 11:30 before moving to CBS from 11:30 to 3:30.