Golf Comment: Dufner can look forward to a bright future
JASON Dufner was just too good for everyone this week. He shot a course record 63 in the second round at Oak Hill, but you don’t win the US PGA Championship on a Friday. He won it because he played so magnificently on Sunday.
Aside from a bogey on the 17th he didn’t show too many signs of nerves which he must have been feeling, particularly because he surrendered a five shot lead with four holes to play at the US Open two years ago, eventually losing on a play-off to Keegan Bradley.
Dufner has a huge future ahead of him now he’s won his first Major. He’s 36, been a professional for 13 years and had a long wait for his first one, but that’s what it takes.
His final round of 68 reminded me of the Australian David Graham, who played perfectly to win the US Open in 1981.
Third round leader Jim Furyk had a game plan of making 18 pars, hoping that would be enough to win his second Major, and when he holed a long putt to birdie the par three sixth it looked like it may be his day.
But it just wasn’t to be. Dufner was too good for everyone this week.
Rory McIlroy was much improved. He triple bogeyed the fifth on Sunday, but came back very well to tie for eighth place, his best finish at a Major this year, and hopefully this is the start of an upward curve of form for him.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson has been in superlative form lately without winning anything and he’ll be looking forward to next year already.
DISASTROUS
Tiger Woods was disappointing, especially after last week. He didn’t play or putt well enough.
Lee Westwood had a disastrous last day carding a 76, but really it finished for him in the last two holes of his second round when he dropped three shots and from then on he was too far away.
This week I’m playing in the Scottish Senior Open at Fairmont St Andrews. It’s a course I know very well having designed it, though I’ve not finished in the top 10 before, so I don’t seem to have much of an advantage. Knowing all the dangerous spots hasn’t helped me!
I’m looking forward to it though. I always have great support when I play in Scotland and it would be awesome to win it.
Sam Torrance OBE is a multiple Ryder Cup-winning golfer and media commentator. Follow him on twitter @torrancesam