Golf World - May 7, 2012

Dufner was developing a reputation as one of those guys good enough to get in front but not good enough to stay there. He shared the lead after 36 holes of the Masters with Fred Couples. Nobody noticed. “You know, when you’re leading tournaments going into weekends and you’re finishing 24th [as he did in Augusta], there’s going to be some questions,” he said. Even from himself. It might have taken 164 tournaments, but that one has now been answered. By comparison “Do you take …?” will be a piece of, well, cake.

There’s a lot more to Dufner’s ball striking than a rhythmic waggle. Cook, who coached the late Payne Stewart, sees a lot of similarities in their games, if

thE powEr of putting

Which is the better gauge of putting prowess? Putts per round? Putts per green in regulation? Strokes gained/putting? For Jason Dufner at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans it didn’t matter. Dufner ranked T- 2, ninth and sixth in those stats, respectively—only the fourth champion in 19 events this season to reside in the top 10 in all three metrics.

StrokeS
PuttS/;gained/
rd;(rank);Putting
28. 5 ( 1) 1.254 ( 3)
26. 8 (T- 8) 1.037 ( 4)
26. 8 ( 6) 2.594 ( 1)
26. 3 (T- 2) 1.534 ( 6)

Player Steve Stricker Mark WilSon luke DonalD JaSon Dufner

tournament Hyundai TOC Humana Transitions Zurich

not in their personalities. “They both liked to play shots,
and they both played by feel,” he said. Tiger Woods would
love to keep the club in front of him the way Dufner does.
“Duf’s never been stuck a day in his life,” says Cook.
Except maybe for something to say in a group. He’s as in-
troverted as his friend and fellow Auburn product Charles
Barkley is out there. “Socially, he’s never been real com-
fortable,” Cook said, “but when he gets to know you, he’s
very sure of himself.” And sneaky funny. When asked if the
wedding was going
to keep him off
the tour for long,
he replied, “The
honeymoon is going
to be at the Players
Championship. You
ever been there?
They got an island
green. Pretty cool.”