Jason Dufner has had a meteoric rise to golf prominence thanks largely to his frequent appearance on top of leaderboards after three rounds and inability to close out the victory, most notably during last year’s PGA Championship, when he lost to Keegan Bradley. The script looked similar Sunday at the HP Byron Nelson Championship, with Dufner holding a one-stroke lead entering the fourth round before J.J. Henry passed him with an amazing hole-in-one.
Byron Nelson Championship 2012: Jason Dufner Birdies 18 To Clinch Victory
This time, Dufner and Henry flipped the script. Henry double-bogeyed 17 to drop to -9 and a stroke back of Dufner and Dicky Pride, who was already in the clubhouse, at -10. Dufner had a chance to win, something he’d done just once in his PGA career, last month in New Orleans, if he birdied 18. After getting on the green, he sunk a clutch putt to clinch the victory and eliminate a chance for a playoff with Pride.
Dufner was the model of consistency over his four rounds, shooting 67-66-69-67 to finish with a -11. He now has two tour victories and three top-10s, and appears to be turning into one of the better young golfers going. He should be considered a threat at the three majors yet to be played this year and in every tournament he participates in for the near future, at least.
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