Dufner stays positive after blowing the PGA As the final major of the golf season, the PGA Championship bills itself as the “Last Chance for Glory.” It’s not out of the question that saying could apply in more ways than one to Jason Dufner.
The 34-year-old, never a winner on the PGA Tour, blew a five-shot lead in the final four holes Sunday, then lost in a playoff to Keegan Bradley.
Based on his solid work for the first 68 holes last week, it’s possible a bright future awaits the former Auburn player, who tees up Thursday in the Wyndham Championship.
– Kevin Dunleavy
| Up next |
| Wyndham Championship |
| When » Thursday-Sunday |
| Where » Sedgefield Country Club, |
| Greensboro, N.C. |
| TV » Golf Channel, CBS |
| Five to watch |
| Camilo Villegas |
| Villegas holds the 125th and final slot in the FedEx Cup standings and needs a solid week to advance to the playoffs, which begin next week. Villegas won two of four FedEx Cup events in 2008 but has only one win since, 17 months ago at the Honda. |
| Ernie Els |
| The South African made a comeback with two wins in 2010 but has regressed this year, missing the cut in five of his last eight events, including last week at the PGA. He played in all four FedEx events last year, but his status is in jeopardy at No. 126. |
| Arjun Atwal |
| Last year at the Wyndham, Atwal — best known for being Tiger Woods’ favorite practice partner — became the first player in 24 years to win a PGA Tour event after earning a spot via a Monday qualifier. At No. 120, Atwal is on the FedEx bubble. |
| Davis Love |
| The two-time Wyndham winner (1992, 2006) tries to make it one in each of the last three decades. Sam Sneed, eight-time winner of what was then called the Greater Greensboro Open, captured the tournament in four straight decades starting in the 1930s. |
| Padraig Harrington |
| The Irishman, at No. 130 in the FedEx Cup standings, added the Wyndham to his schedule to try to qualify. Other former major champions in danger of missing the playoffs are No. 142 Justin Leonard and No. 150 Angel Cabrera. |
But history has not been kind to those who have come up short in the PGA Championship. Five of the last 13 players who lost in extra holes never won again on the tour: Don Massengale (1967), Gene Littler (1977), Colin Montgomerie (1995), Bob May (2000) and Chris DiMarco (2004).
Of the 13 playoff losers, only Tom Watson (1978), Ben Crenshaw (1979) and Greg Norman (1993) went on to capture major championships.
Last chance indeed.
Will Dufner’s career mirror that of May, who never won a PGA Tour event? Or will Dufner overcome his disappointment a la Kenny Perry, who notched 11 of his 14 PGA Tour victories after losing in a 1996 PGA playoff with Mark Brooks at age 36?
Dufner tends to stay positive.
“Time will tell,” Dufner told reporters Tuesday. “I think it’ll make me a better player. I feel like there’s been more guys who have lost leads or lost tournaments in that situation and then have had greater finishes in the future than guys that have lost leads and you never heard of again.”
Dufner cited Rory McIlroy, who bounced back from losing a four-shot lead at the Masters to win the U.S. Open in record-breaking fashion two months later. But it might be a stretch comparing a journeyman like Dufner to a 22-year-old prodigy.
Not that Dufner lacks for talent. Three months ago, Jason Sobel of the Golf Channel predicted Dufner would win the Players Championship. Dufner made Sobel look prescient with a sixth-place finish at TPC Sawgrass, a penal, target course similar to the Atlanta Athletic Club layout on which Dufner thrived last week.
Despite his pratfall on the brutal closing holes Sunday, Dufner has been buoyed by the reaction of fans and media, many won over by his throwback waggle, his Ben Hogan-style swing and his down-to-earth personality.
On Monday, Dufner was invited by coaches at his alma mater to visit the Auburn football complex. When he walked into an auditorium, he was surprised by a standing ovation from the players.
“That’s pretty cool,” Dufner said. “You wouldn’t expect a 320-pound defensive lineman to be watching golf on Sunday, but they were.”
