Jason Dufner
Encyclopedia
Jason Dufner is an American
professional golfer
who currently plays on the PGA Tour
.
. He moved to the Washington, D.C.
area when he was 11 years old, and then to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida when he was 14. It was there that he started playing golf, and played for St. Thomas Aquinas High School during his sophomore, junior and senior years.
, where he won three times in his college career and was an Honorable Mention All-American in 1997. He graduated from Auburn in 2000 with a degree in Economics.
In 1998 Dufner played in the finals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links
at Torrey Pines
. He lost to Trevor Immelman
, 3 and 2.
in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. Dufner won two events during his time on the Nationwide Tour, the BUY.COM Wichita Open in 2001 and the LaSalle Bank Open in 2006. He finished in 8th place on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2006 to earn his PGA Tour card for 2007. He finished 127th in the FedEx Cup standings in 2007, and failed to qualify at the PGA Tour Q-School, where he finished T149. He retained conditional status for the 2008 PGA Tour season, and then finished T11 at the Q-School that year to earn his card for 2009. He has been a member of the PGA Tour every year since. In 2009, Dufner finished in the top-10 on six occasions, including a third place finish at the RBC Canadian Open, and a runner up place at the Deutsche Bank Championship
, part of the FedEx Cup playoffs. As a result, Dufner went on to finish the year 11th in the FedEx Cup standings and 33rd on the year's money list.
Dufner had a less successful 2010 season, recording only two top-10 finishes. However, his best finish of the year came in a major championship, at the 2010 PGA Championship
at Whistling Straits
. He finished in a tie for fifth place, two strokes short of the playoff. This was the best result to date Dufner had recorded in a major. He was eliminated in the third FedEx Cup
playoff event and did not qualify for the The Tour Championship
.
Early in 2011, Dufner had a chance to win his first PGA Tour title at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale when he finished tied for the lead at 18-under-par after 72 holes, before eventually losing in a playoff to Mark Wilson
. Wilson made a birdie on the second extra hole and the best Dufner could manage there was a par. He also had a good finish in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans
where a final-round 66 boosted him to a tie for third place. Dufner earned entry into the 2011 U.S. Open
after Anders Hansen
withdrew; previously during a qualifying tournament in Georgia, Dufner had lost in a playoff to Russell Henley. He also played in the 2011 Open Championship
as a result of Tiger Woods
pulling out due to injury. He missed the cut in both the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.
, Dufner was in contention to win his first major and maiden PGA Tour title, when he entered the final round in the last group and tied for the lead with Brendan Steele
at seven under par. Dufner completed the front nine in 33, two under par, while playing partner Steele dropped four shots early on and fell out of contention. Dufner held the lead for most of the final round and was bogey-free through 14 holes. After his nearest challenger, Keegan Bradley
, make triple bogey on the 15th, Dufner had a five-stroke advantage with four holes to play. Dufner then hit his tee shot on 15 into the water hazard right of the green on the par three. He got up and down from the drop zone to make bogey, but followed this with bogeys at 16 and 17. Meanwhile, Bradley scored back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to take the clubhouse lead at eight under, wiping out Dufner's advantage. Dufner parred the 18th and the two American players went into a three-hole aggregate playoff. On the first playoff hole, both players hit their approach shots to 16 within a few feet. Bradley made his birdie put, while Dufner missed his birdie, giving Bradley to take a one-stroke advantage to the 17th.
Both players found the green from the tee, and while Bradley two-putted for his par, Dufner knocked his first putt well past the hole, and three-putted the green to fall two strokes behind with one to play. At the last hole, Bradley's second shot cleared the water by a few yards; Dufner then followed with a shot on the same line and made his birdie putt. Bradley only needed to two-putt for the championship, which he did. This was Dufner's best major finish, winning $865,000 of the purse, with both of his career high finishes in majors coming at the PGA Championship. With his second place finish, he rose to 38th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who currently plays on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
.
Early life
Dufner was born in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. He moved to the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
area when he was 11 years old, and then to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida when he was 14. It was there that he started playing golf, and played for St. Thomas Aquinas High School during his sophomore, junior and senior years.
Amateur career
Dufner was a walk-on at Auburn UniversityAuburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, where he won three times in his college career and was an Honorable Mention All-American in 1997. He graduated from Auburn in 2000 with a degree in Economics.
In 1998 Dufner played in the finals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links
U.S. Amateur Public Links
The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, often referred to as the Public Links or the Publinx, is a men's amateur golf tournament, one of 10 individual amateur championships organized by the United States Golf Association. The USGA typically calls the event the U.S. Amateur Public Links, which...
at Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines
Torrey Pines can refer to:*Torrey Pine, a broad, open-crowned pine.*Torrey Pines Golf Course, a municipal public golf course owned by the city of San Diego, California....
. He lost to Trevor Immelman
Trevor Immelman
Trevor John Immelman is a South African professional golfer and winner of the 2008 Masters Tournament.-Early years:Immelman was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Born into a golfing family , he took up golf at the age of five. He attended Hottentots Holland High School...
, 3 and 2.
Professional career
In his early career, Dufner struggled to hold down a place on the PGA Tour. He was a member of the PGA Tour in 2004 and the Nationwide TourNationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006. Dufner won two events during his time on the Nationwide Tour, the BUY.COM Wichita Open in 2001 and the LaSalle Bank Open in 2006. He finished in 8th place on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2006 to earn his PGA Tour card for 2007. He finished 127th in the FedEx Cup standings in 2007, and failed to qualify at the PGA Tour Q-School, where he finished T149. He retained conditional status for the 2008 PGA Tour season, and then finished T11 at the Q-School that year to earn his card for 2009. He has been a member of the PGA Tour every year since. In 2009, Dufner finished in the top-10 on six occasions, including a third place finish at the RBC Canadian Open, and a runner up place at the Deutsche Bank Championship
Deutsche Bank Championship
The Deutsche Bank Championship is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually over the Labor Day weekend. The tournament made its debut in 2003 and is held at the Tournament Players Club of Boston in Norton, Massachusetts...
, part of the FedEx Cup playoffs. As a result, Dufner went on to finish the year 11th in the FedEx Cup standings and 33rd on the year's money list.
Dufner had a less successful 2010 season, recording only two top-10 finishes. However, his best finish of the year came in a major championship, at the 2010 PGA Championship
2010 PGA Championship
The 2010 PGA Championship was the 92nd PGA Championship. Martin Kaymer from Germany won for his first major championship, in a three-hole playoff over Bubba Watson. The tournament began on Thursday, August 12, 2010, and concluded on Sunday, August 15. It was played at the Straits Course of the...
at Whistling Straits
Whistling Straits
Whistling Straits is one of two golfing destinations associated with The American Club, a luxury resort located in nearby Kohler, Wisconsin, and owned by a subsidiary of the Kohler Company. The other course is Blackwolf Run. The Whistling Straits complex is located in the unincorporated Sheboygan...
. He finished in a tie for fifth place, two strokes short of the playoff. This was the best result to date Dufner had recorded in a major. He was eliminated in the third FedEx Cup
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
playoff event and did not qualify for the The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
.
Early in 2011, Dufner had a chance to win his first PGA Tour title at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale when he finished tied for the lead at 18-under-par after 72 holes, before eventually losing in a playoff to Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson (golfer)
Mark Joseph Wilson is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Wilson was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin and currently resides in Elmhurst, Illinois.-Professional career:...
. Wilson made a birdie on the second extra hole and the best Dufner could manage there was a par. He also had a good finish in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Zurich Classic of New Orleans
The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is played annually in New Orleans, Louisiana; its historic date has been in April, but was moved to March in 2008. Zurich Financial Services is the main sponsor of the tournament.From the event's inception through...
where a final-round 66 boosted him to a tie for third place. Dufner earned entry into the 2011 U.S. Open
2011 U.S. Open (golf)
The 2011 United States Open Championship, the 111th U.S. Open, was played June 16–19 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. It was won by Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who set 11 U.S. Open records on the weekend, including the lowest total 72-hole score and the lowest total under...
after Anders Hansen
Anders Hansen
Anders Rosenberg Hansen is a Danish professional golfer.Hansen was born in Sønderborg, Denmark. He turned professional in 1995...
withdrew; previously during a qualifying tournament in Georgia, Dufner had lost in a playoff to Russell Henley. He also played in the 2011 Open Championship
2011 Open Championship
The 2011 Open Championship was the 140th Open Championship, played from July 14–17 at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England. Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland won the event by three strokes for his first major championship victory.-Venue:...
as a result of Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
pulling out due to injury. He missed the cut in both the U.S. Open and the Open Championship.
2011 PGA Championship
At the 2011 PGA Championship2011 PGA Championship
The 2011 PGA Championship was the 93rd PGA Championship. Keegan Bradley won his first major championship, in a three-hole playoff over Jason Dufner. The tournament began on Thursday, August 11, 2011 and concluded on Sunday, August 14...
, Dufner was in contention to win his first major and maiden PGA Tour title, when he entered the final round in the last group and tied for the lead with Brendan Steele
Brendan Steele
Brendan Steele is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Steele was born in Idyllwild, California. He played college golf at the University of California, Riverside, graduating in 2005.-Professional career:...
at seven under par. Dufner completed the front nine in 33, two under par, while playing partner Steele dropped four shots early on and fell out of contention. Dufner held the lead for most of the final round and was bogey-free through 14 holes. After his nearest challenger, Keegan Bradley
Keegan Bradley
Keegan Bradley is an American professional golfer who is a rookie on the PGA Tour. He has won two tour events, most notably the 2011 PGA Championship...
, make triple bogey on the 15th, Dufner had a five-stroke advantage with four holes to play. Dufner then hit his tee shot on 15 into the water hazard right of the green on the par three. He got up and down from the drop zone to make bogey, but followed this with bogeys at 16 and 17. Meanwhile, Bradley scored back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to take the clubhouse lead at eight under, wiping out Dufner's advantage. Dufner parred the 18th and the two American players went into a three-hole aggregate playoff. On the first playoff hole, both players hit their approach shots to 16 within a few feet. Bradley made his birdie put, while Dufner missed his birdie, giving Bradley to take a one-stroke advantage to the 17th.
Both players found the green from the tee, and while Bradley two-putted for his par, Dufner knocked his first putt well past the hole, and three-putted the green to fall two strokes behind with one to play. At the last hole, Bradley's second shot cleared the water by a few yards; Dufner then followed with a shot on the same line and made his birdie putt. Bradley only needed to two-putt for the championship, which he did. This was Dufner's best major finish, winning $865,000 of the purse, with both of his career high finishes in majors coming at the PGA Championship. With his second place finish, he rose to 38th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Professional wins (2)
PGA Tour playoff record (0-2)| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011 | Waste Management Phoenix Open |  Mark WilsonMark Wilson (golfer) Mark Joseph Wilson is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Wilson was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin and currently resides in Elmhurst, Illinois.-Professional career:... |
Lost to Wilson birdie on second extra hole |
| 2 | 2011 | PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
Keegan Bradley Keegan Bradley Keegan Bradley is an American professional golfer who is a rookie on the PGA Tour. He has won two tour events, most notably the 2011 PGA Championship... |
Lost three-hole aggregate playoff: Bradley 3-3-4=10 (-1), Dufner 4-4-3=11 (E) |
Nationwide Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 15, 2001 2001 Buy.com Tour The 2001 Buy.com Tour season ran from Mar 8 to October 28. The season consisted of 27 official money golf tournaments, and one canceled tournament. Two tournaments were played outside of the United States... |
BUY.COM Wichita Open | 3 strokes | David Gossett David Gossett David Spencer Gossett is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Gossett was born in Phoenix, Arizona. His father introduced him to the game of golf and he competed in his first tournament at age 10. He went to Germantown High School in Germantown, Tennessee... , Jeff GoveJeff Gove Jeff Gove is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Gove is currently a member of the PGA Tour... Todd Rose |
|
| 2 | Jun 11, 2006 2006 Nationwide Tour The 2006 Nationwide Tour season ran from January 26 to November 12. The season consisted of 31 official money golf tournaments; three of which were played outside of the United States... |
LaSalle Bank Open LaSalle Bank Open The Bank of America Open was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour from 2002 to 2008. It was played at The Glen Club in Glenview, Illinois, USA... |
1 stroke | Cliff Kresge Cliff Kresge Clifford Terry Kresge is an American professional golfer. He has played on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour since 1997.... |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T40 | 62 | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | T30 | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T33 | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT | CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
T5 | 2 |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Summary
- Tournaments played: 11
- Wins: 0
- Top 10s: 2
- Top 25s: 2
- Missed cuts: 5
- Most consecutive cuts made: 2