Jason Dufner Wins 2012 Zurich Classic In Playoff Over Ernie Els

It’s a good time to be Jason Dufner: next week, he’s getting married. But today he earned his first win in a PGA Tour event, winning the Zurich Classic in New Orleans by beating Ernie Els in a two-hole playoff.

Els and Dufner were tied for the lead for most of the afternoon. The pair both performed well early in the day, but sank into a rhythm of par-after-par -- each parring their last seven holes -- to remain three clear of the field. Els had a chance for birdie on 18, but his putt came to a stop just an inch short of the cup, sending him into the clubhouse at 5-under for the day. Dufner then had a putt for birdie and the win, but missed just to the right and ended up tapping in for par. In the first hole of the playoff, Dufner was on the green in two, but the Auburn grad three-putted, leaving Els a chance to birdie for win. Els repaid the favor from regulation and missed the putt badly. On the second playoff hole, Dufner again got on the green in two, but this time his putt left him within inches of the hole. Els tried to hit a putt from off the green and just missed, leaving Dufner a tap-in for the win.

Dufner fought hard to stay tight with Els: the Auburn grad nailed a 43-foot putt on 16 to stay at 19-under.

Behind the leaders, Luke Donald broke apart from a pack of golfers at 16-under with a birdie on the 18th to take sole possession of third place.