“I want to keep progressing”, Lahiri said.
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In this, the first tournament he has played since splitting from coach Butch Harmon, Lefty finished in a tie for third after four solid rounds in the 60s. Na continues to play enough solid golf to get in position to win, but it has to be frustrating to not get that second victory. “It doesn’t matter when I won them or when the last time was, I’m showing up to win tournaments this year and play good golf every week”.
The victory was the fourth of Dufner’s career and his first since his only Grand Slam title, in the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Pittsford, N.Y.
He again showed his nerve on the first extra hole, sinking a 10-foot putt for half, before Lingmerth cracked first when he hooked his second shot from light rough on the 18th into the water.
“I don’t worry about zones and talking about stuff like that”, Dufner said.
He said the lie on dirt was like something out of the British Open, and he picked his shot clean, the ball running and hitting the flagstick before settling one foot from the hole. Lingmerth managed a best of the day 65 in the final round this time out and was keen to take the positives from his performance.
“It has been a good three days”, Mickelson said. “I told my partners (at the turn) I was going to do something good and it just happened”.
Dufner called it “pretty neat” to receive a trophy from a former president.
Jason Dufner defied all odds to beat David Lingmerth in a playoff at the CareerBuilder Challenge.
He was joined at 11-under by Argentina’s Angel Cabrera, Michael Thompson, Brian Harman, Brendan Steele, Ryan Palmer and John Huh – who carded an eight-under 64 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course. On the PGA West 17th, Dufner explained, the tee is elevated, the shot longer (165 yards) and the wind trickier.
“I’m probably a week away, if I’m being honest”, Mickelson said.
Now that each player has played the three courses on the cycle, everyone who made the cut will play the Stadium Course on Sunday. “I’m confident with whatever club I’ve got in my hand”.
Spieth and McIlroy were in the marquee afternoon group, but both played erratically and were 1 over after 13 holes when play was suspended for the day because of darkness.
European Tour: Rickie Fowler shot a 3-under 69 for a one-shot win over Thomas Pieters in the Abu Dhabi Championship. The duo exchanged pars on the first playing of the par-4 18th in sudden death; Lingmerth’s two-putt par was matched by Dufner’s scrambling one-putt from 12 feet.
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DIVOTS: Dufner tied for ninth in his last two PGA Tour starts, at the RSM Classic in November and the Sony Open last week in Hawaii.
