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Dufner Makes History with 63 to Grab PGA Lead
Dufner back atop PGA Title Hunt after Major Flop
Rose's Attitude Shift Makes Majors Justin Time
Masters Win Boosted Scott's Major Hunger
Dufner Makes History with 63 to Grab PGA Lead
ROCHESTER, August 10, 2013 (AFP) - American Jason Dufner matched the low 18-hole score in major golf history on Friday, firing a seven-under par 63 to seize the lead after two rounds of the PGA Championship.
On an Oak Hill course that was drenched by rain showers all morning, Dufner fired five birdies and an eagle to finish on nine-under 131 after 36 holes for a two-stroke lead in the $8 million tournament.
"The rain, the soft golf course, made it scorable," Dufner said. "But to join history, to shoot a 63 in a major, pretty unbelievable. To be leading the tournament, even better. Hopefully it will propel me to a great weekend."
Masters winner Adam Scott of Australia and Americans Jim Furyk and Matt Kuchar shared second on 133, with Sweden's Henrik Stenson and England's Justin Rose, the US Open champion, on 134.
Dufner became the 24th player to shoot 63 in a major. The feat has been done 26 total times, with Australian Greg Norman and Fiji's Vijay Singh accomplishing it twice.
Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Nick Price and Nick Faldo are among the other players to shoot 63 in a major.
"That's pretty good company right there," Dufner said.
Dufner set a course record at Oak Hill, breaking the mark of 64 shared by countrymen Ben Hogan from the 1942 Times-Union Open, Curtis Strange from the 1980 US Open and Webb Simpson earlier on Friday.
Dufner had a 12-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole to shoot the first 62 in a major but left it 18 inches short and his tap-in for par dropped in off the right edge of the cup.
"You don't want to leave anything short to make history," Dufner said. "But I was able to two-putt and at least share history."
Dufner holed his approach shot for an eagle at the par-4 second and followed with back-to-back birdies at the par-5 fourth and par-4 fifth.
On the back nine, Dufner birdied the par-3 11th and par-5 13th, then birdied the par-4 16th. He missed a 15-foot birdie putt at the 17th, setting up the drama at 18.
Dufner won his first US PGA title after 163 tries last year at New Orleans, then followed by taking the Byron Nelson Championship.
Dufner shared fourth at the US Open in June and lost the 2011 PGA Championship in heartbreaking fashion.
Owning a four-stroke lead on the field with four holes to play at Atlanta Athletic Club, Dufner led eventual winner Keegan Bradley by five strokes, but Dufner made bogeys at 15, 16 and 17 while Bradley birdied 16 and 17 to set up a three-hole aggregate playoff that Bradley won by a shot.
Kuchar made five birdies but closed with a bogey.
"This was definitely the good side of the draw," Kuchar said. "People took advantage of the conditions to make some birdies."
World number one Woods fired a 70 to stand on 141 for 36 holes, 10 off Dufner's pace. He made four birdies and four bogeys, going birdie-bogey-birdie bogey over the last four holes.
"I'm so far back that if the leaders go ahead and run off with it and shoot a low one tomorrow, I'm going to be pretty far behind," Woods said.
Scott reached eight-under three times but in each instance made bogey at the next hole to fall back.
"If I was really hot with the putter, I really could have made it something to cherish," Scott said. "I should have made some of those putts the way the greens were rolling."
Rose opened bogey-bogey and followed a birdie at the 14th with a bogey at 18, but then the rain stopped and Rose ran off three birdies in a row, added another at the fifth and closed birdie-birdie to stay in the hunt.
"I was trying to hang on and stay alive out there," Rose said. "Water was coming down so hard it was in my face. At the turn the rain stopped and I could get back and really start playing my game."
Simpson flirted with a 62 as well. He began on the back nine with back-to-back birdies, added another at the 14th and ran off four birdies in five holes in a streak that ended at the par-3 sixth, but a bogey at the seventh left him only with a share of the course record for a few hours.
British Open winner Phil Mickelson fired his second 71, lamenting his inability to take advantage of the rain.
"With the greens so soft, you can attack the course," he said. "Unfortunately my game wasn't sharp enough to attack."
Defending champion Rory McIlroy, enduring a season of struggles, started on the back nine and birdied four of his last seven holes for a 71 and a total of 140.
"That's two front nines I've played pretty good this week," McIlroy said. "If I get the back nine sorted out I'll be doing fine."
In all 75 players from the field of 156 made the cut on 143. Among those not playing on the weekend are former Masters champion Bubba Watson, South Africa's Ernie Els and England's Luke Donald.
Dufner back atop PGA Title Hunt after Major Flop
ROCHESTER, August 10, 2013 (AFP) - Two years after squandering a four-stroke lead in the last four holes to lose a major title, Jason Dufner once again leads a PGA Championship and has cracked under pressure.
The 36-year-old American matched the lowest round in major golf history on Friday, firing a seven-under par 63 to stand on nine-under 131 with a two-stroke lead after the second round of the 95th PGA Championship at rain-soaked Oak Hill.
But with a 12-foot putt on the 18th green to become the first player in major golf history to fire a round of 62, Dufner left his tension-packed putt a foot and a half short.
"I knew nobody had ever shot 62, so I knew where I stood and you couldn't have a better putt for a chance at history on the last hole but I just didn't quite hit it hard enough," Dufner said.
"The greens had gotten a little bit slower, little bit bumpier and I probably didn't hit the best putt -- probably the worst putt I hit of the day, which is a little disappointing.
"But all in all it's a 63 and my name is on top of the leaderboard so that's a great position to be playing from.
"If I could do it over, I guess I would hit the putt harder."
Dufner, who won his first US PGA title after 163 tries last year at New Orleans then followed by taking the Byron Nelson Championship, would not mind another chance at the 2011 PGA at Atlanta Athletic Club either.
Four up with four holes remaining, Dufner led eventual winner Keegan Bradley by five strokes, but Dufner made bogeys at 15, 16 and 17 while Bradley birdied 16 and 17 to set up a three-hole playoff that Bradley won by a shot.
"What has happened in the past with me in majors is in the past," Dufner said. "Still trying to chase it. Still trying to learn from the mistakes that I made in prior majors. I'm excited that I'm in the lead and looking forward to a good weekend and maybe closing one of these out."
Dufner said his run in Atlanta, where he shared the 36- and 54-hole leads, was the best of his life, but in some ways the 63, which included an eagle and five birdies, was even better.
"Atlanta is probably the best week I've ever hit it in my career," Dufner said. "I really played flawless there for 68 or 69 holes. That's probably the best I have hit it in my career.
"Today I scored better so that's the name of the game. I've got more experience playing in these major championships, winning a couple events since Atlanta, so that will always help."
Dufner's 63 broke the old course record of 64 shared by Ben Hogan from 1942, Curtis Strange from 1980 and Webb Simpson from just hours before, but he and his rivals know it could have been much more had he made the birdie putt on 18.
"I could hear the roar and knew he had a big putt to shoot the lowest score in major championship history, so I was kind of pulling for him. That's a pretty good feat," said Jim Furyk, who shares second on 133 with Matt Kuchar and reigning Masters champion Adam Scott of Australia.
With 24 players having fired a total of 26 63s in majors, Dufner said there might even be a bit of a mental barrier to shooting a 62 in a major.
"Major set-ups are so difficult," Dufner said. "It's just a tough thing to shoot a 62 in a major and I'm sure there's a little bit of a mental hurdle for some guys to break that barrier."
Dufner, who shared fourth in the past two US Opens, also figures he will have some hurdles before he captures that elusive major title.
"I'm sure guys will be gunning for whoever might be leading," he said. "So I think it's important to stay aggressive and pick your spots -- maybe later in the tournament, toward those last nine holes."
Rose's Attitude Shift Makes Majors Justin Time
ROCHESTER, August 9, 2013 (AFP) - When Adam Scott sent Justin Rose a message after winning the Masters saying, "This is our time," Rose went on to win the next major title at the US Open.
And now that the pressure to win a major is off his back thanks to his June triumph at Merion, it looks like every major might be "Justin time."
The 33-year-old Englishman started on the 10th hole and closed his round with six birdies in his final nine holes at rain-soaked Oak Hill on the way to a four-under par 66 that had him in contention to win the PGA Championship at six-under 134 for 36 holes.
"I got hot," Rose said. "I didn't make long putts but I made a lot of putts. I made pretty much every putt from around 12 feet that I had on (my) back nine."
After a bogey-bogey start and another bogey at 18 in a downpour, the showers stopped and Rose began to bloom, starting the front side with three birdies and closing it with two more in firing a 29 for nine holes.
"I have broken 30 before. I couldn't tell you where or when," Rose said. "Certainly not in a major. That's definitely different."
A lot of things are different since Rose, whose amateur heroics at the 1998 British Open were followed by 21 missed cuts in a row as a professional, finally won a major in his 37th attempt.
"It's wonderful to be in this situation, talking about feeling like you can win more, believing in yourself, not about how I hope I can make it happen this week. I think that alone makes it happier," Rose said.
"I feel grateful to have the monkey off my back and focus forward and look at each of them coming up as opportunities," added Rose, who said he was inspired by Scott's ability to peak for majors.
"When you are not 100 percent ready to win majors, every week is a big week. I feel like you get your game to a point where you are trying to make sure it's ready four times a year," Rose said. "Adam has done a great job of that. He is the best player by far in the majors, if you take total shots over the last four or five majors anyway.
"I feel like I'm beginning to get into that same mind-set. I feel like my game suits the tougher courses. I've worked hard on my game and my skill set. I've got all the shots. Now it's a matter of bringing them out a little bit more regularly."
Masters Win Boosted Scott's Major Hunger
ROCHESTER, August 9, 2013 (AFP) - Winning the Masters brought Adam Scott the major title he always dreamed of winning. It also inspired a whole new dream of maximizing his major trophy haul.
The 33-year-old Australian, shaking off a disappointing British Open defeat for the second year in a row, took his next step in that quest Friday at the PGA Championship, firing a two-under par 68 at Oak Hill to reach seven-under par 133 after 36 holes.
Scott became the first Aussie to win a green jacket with his April triumph at Augusta National and with his game fine tuned has made himself a Wanamaker Trophy contender as well.
"I can't take my foot off the gas just because I achieved something great at Augusta," Scott said. "My game is in great shape. I've got to take advantage of it otherwise it's all a waste."
Scott squandered a four-shot lead with four concluding bogeys to lose the British Open last year at Royal Lytham, then missed again this year after being in the hunt over the final holes.
His resolve in setting aside those setbacks and fighting for the next major title comes from the major appetite he still feels, as if the Masters win was only an appetizer in a feast that is his for the taking.
"All it says is that I'm hungry at the moment. I was hungry before the Masters and I might even have a bigger appetite after it," Scott said.
"It might be greedy but I feel like this is my time to get everything I want out of my career and I'm going to keep pushing until I do."
Scott wants to make the most of his Masters momentum before he has to defend his crown in eight months.
"You prove something to yourself to win a major and maybe some other people as well," Scott said. "You have got to take the confidence and form of winning a major and run with it."
When it comes to his game, Scott says things can only get better.
"I've got room to improve still, absolutely," Scott said. "We are always looking to be perfect and that may never be achievable, but you can die trying I guess.
"I continue to see improvement in my short game and in my putting and even in my ball-striking and control, it's getting better."
A key factor Scott cites in his success is spending more time working on his game and playing fewer tournaments.
"Dropping a lot of tournaments was the biggest change, playing a much lighter schedule," Scott said. "At some point you have to step out of a comfort zone and back yourself and not be afraid of doing that.
"I had to make a change. It was frustrating for me for a long time being a pretty good player and not performing at big events."
Scott has long said that his next 10 years should be the best of his career and seeing Phil Mickelson win the British Open at 43 only boosted the notion that his best is yet to come.
"Most of the best players have played their best golf in their 30s," he said. "There's that extra level of experience that works in their favor. Phil has just won a major at 43 so there's no reason why you can't go on playing well beyond that.
"These are going to be my best years. I'm doing everything to make sure they are."
Results on Friday after the second round of the 95th PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club (par 70):
131 - Jason Dufner (USA) 68-63
133 - Adam Scott (AUS) 65-68, Matt Kuchar (USA) 67-66, Jim Furyk (USA) 65-68
134 - Justin Rose (ENG) 68-66, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 68-66
135 - Robert Garrigus (USA) 67-68, Steve Stricker (USA) 68-67
136 - Webb Simpson (USA) 72-64, Martin Kaymer (GER) 68-68, Charley Hoffman (USA) 69-67, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 67-69
137 - Sergio Garcia (ESP) 69-68, Roberto Castro (USA) 68-69
138 - Scott Piercy (USA) 67-71, Jason Day (AUS) 67-71, Hunter Mahan (USA) 70-68, Rickie Fowler (USA) 70-68, Bill Haas (USA) 68-70, David Lynn (ENG) 69-69, Jonas Blixt (SWE) 68-70
139 - Lee Westwood (ENG) 66-73, Zach Johnson (USA) 69-70, Paul Casey (ENG) 67-72, Graeme McDowell (NIR) 70-69, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 68-71, Michael Thompson (USA) 72-67
140 - Ryo Ishikawa (JPN) 69-71, Tim Clark (RSA) 69-71, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 72-68, Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 68-72, Ryan Moore (USA) 69-71, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 69-71, Chris Kirk (USA) 71-69, Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 72-68, David Toms (USA) 71-69, Marc Leishman (AUS) 70-70
141 - Matteo Manassero (ITA) 72-69, Boo Weekley (USA) 72-69, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 70-71, Marc Warren (SCO) 74-67, Ian Poulter (ENG) 70-71, Shane Lowry (IRL) 71-70, Peter Hanson (SWE) 72-69, Keegan Bradley (USA) 69-72, Tiger Woods (USA) 71-70, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) 71-70, K.J. Choi (KOR) 76-65, Scott Jamieson (SCO) 69-72
142 - Darren Clarke (NIR) 69-73, Vijay Singh (FIJ) 70-72, Phil Mickelson (USA) 71-71, Brendon De Jonge (ZIM) 71-71, John Senden (AUS) 72-70, Luke Guthrie (USA) 71-71, Josh Teater (USA) 71-71, David Hearn (CAN) 66-76, J.J. Henry (USA) 71-71, Kevin Streelman (USA) 70-72
143 - Brooks Koepka (USA) 71-72, Ken Duke (USA) 75-68, Brandt Snedeker (USA) 70-73, Danny Willett (ENG) 73-70, Harris English (USA) 74-69, John Merrick (USA) 75-68, D.A. Points (USA) 73-70, Gary Woodland (USA) 73-70, Dustin Johnson (USA) 72-71, Tommy Gainey (USA) 69-74, Ryan Palmer (USA) 73-70, Ben Curtis (USA) 73-70, Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP) 68-75, Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 75-68, Scott Stallings (USA) 73-70, Matt Jones (AUS) 72-71
Missed The Cut
144 - Charles Howell (USA) 71-73, Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 71-73, Joost Luiten (NED) 71-73, Bubba Watson (USA) 70-74, Bae Sang-Moon (KOR) 75-69, Woody Austin (USA) 69-75, Martin Laird (SCO) 71-73, Chris Stroud (USA) 71-73, Charl Schwartzel (RSA) 71-73, Davis Love (USA) 74-70, Paul Lawrie (SCO) 72-72, Branden Grace (RSA) 71-73
145 - Jimmy Walker (USA) 71-74, Luke Donald (ENG) 71-74, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 73-72, David Muttitt (USA) 75-70, Marcel Siem (GER) 73-72, Rich Beem (USA) 71-74, David Lingmerth (SWE) 74-71, Bernd Wiesberger (AUT) 70-75
146 - John Huh (USA) 72-74, Russell Henley (USA) 76-70, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (ESP) 74-72, Carl Pettersson (SWE) 74-72, Graham DeLaet (CAN) 70-76, Charlie Beljan (USA) 71-75, Ernie Els (RSA) 74-72, Yang Yong-Eun (KOR) 72-74, Richard Sterne (RSA) 72-74, Stewart Cink (USA) 75-71, Jason Kokrak (USA) 74-72
147 - Brett Rumford (AUS) 70-77, Kevin Stadler (USA) 74-73, Richie Ramsay (SCO) 72-75, Hiroyuki Fujita (JPN) 71-76, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 76-71, Scott Brown (USA) 73-74, Billy Horschel (USA) 69-78, Peter Uihlein (USA) 77-70, Brian Gay (USA) 73-74
148 - Derek Ernst (USA) 72-76, Kohki Idoki (JPN) 72-76, Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) 74-74, Jordan Spieth (USA) 74-74, Matt Every (USA) 71-77, Jeff Sorenson (USA) 73-75
149 - Alex Noren (SWE) 76-73, JC Anderson (USA) 73-76
150 - Tom Watson (USA) 73-77, Nick Watney (USA) 76-74, George Coetzee (RSA) 74-76, Chris Wood (ENG) 75-75, Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) 76-74, David McNabb (USA) 74-76, Ryan Polzin (USA) 73-77, Jaco Van Zyl (RSA) 74-76
151 - Danny Balin (USA) 73-78, Kyle Stanley (USA) 73-78, Kevin Chappell (USA) 79-72, Rob Labritz (USA) 78-73, Bob Gaus (USA) 74-77, Thomas Bjorn (DEN) 70-81, Caine Fitzgerald (USA) 75-76
152 - Paul McGinley (IRL) 78-74, Lucas Glover (USA) 76-76, Mike Small (USA) 76-76, Shaun Micheel (USA) 76-76
153 - Freddie Jacobson (SWE) 76-77, Mark Sheftic (USA) 75-78, Stuart Smith (USA) 78-75
154 - Kirk Hanefeld (USA) 76-78
155 - Bob Sowards (USA) 73-82
156 - Jeff Martin (USA) 78-78, Rod Perry (USA) 78-78, Sonny Skinner (USA) 76-80
159 - Mark Brown (USA) 77-82
160 - Chip Sullivan (USA) 84-76
163 - Lee Rhind (USA) 81-82
WD - Jamie Donaldson (WAL) 80, Angel Cabrera (ARG) 80