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Jason Dufner found his love for golf at the young age of 14 when he moved to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. It soon became a major part of his life as he practiced his skills and played for St. Thomas Aquinas High School. When he reached college age, he decided to attend Auburn University. He was a walk-on for the university’s golf team, and he experienced a good amount of success. In 1997, he was an Honorable Mention All-American. He also had three wins during this time.

Post College Career

Since his college days, Dufner has gone on to further his golf career. He now plays on the PGA Tour. He was also a member of the Nationwide Tour for five years and hopes, in the near future, to become a member of the European Tour. During his time on the Nationwide Tour, Dufner won the BUY.COM Wichita Open in 2001 and the LaSalle Bank Open in 2006. As a member from 2001 to 2006, it was a good way to enter and exit his membership with the tour. He qualified to be a member of the PGA Tour after finishing in eighth place on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2006.

Success and Failure

It has not always been smooth sailing for Dufner. In his early professional career, he struggled to keep his spot on the PGA Tour. After playing in 2007, he found himself on conditional status for the year of 2008. This was due to his performance in a few championships. In the FedEx Cup, he finished at 127th. In addition, Dufner did not qualify at the PGA Tour Q-School, finishing T149.

But Dufner made a comeback, finishing T11 to then earn his PGA card for 2009 and has remained a member since that time. He was a runner-up in the 2011 PGA Tour against Keegan Bradley, which would lead to greater success in the next year. And after the 2011 Tour, Dufner has won two PGA Tours, both in 2012. These included the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he beat out Ernie Els, and the HP Byron Nelson Championship, where he beat Dicky Pride. His victory over Els came on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. Because of this win, Dufner became numbered among the world’s top 20 golfers. A mere three weeks later, he secured his second victory against Pride. This success bumped Dufner up in the rankings even further, placing him in 8th place in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Growing Fame

In 2012, Dufner also qualified for his first Ryder Cup. This is due to his 2-up win over Peter Hanson in the singles competition.

Dufner has already played a number of games in 2013. Fans can find this year’s Tournament Log at http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/players/4269/log He will be playing at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at the end of April, and with any luck, it will go as well for him as it did in 2012. A win of these sorts wouldn’t be surprising, as Dufner has shown determination and improvement during his time as a professional golfer. One thing seems pretty clear: Dufner is “here to stay” and ready to secure further wins and successes in the future.

About the Author: Phil Oscarson is an avid golfer, and golf analyst. If you’re looking for a great place to golf, deals on golf courses, etc. try AmericanGolf.com as a great source to find what you’re looking for.

Photo Credits: Jason Dufner Facebook Page

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