Dufner .... two wins and a wedding this month

JASON DUFNER almost broke into a smile today after winning his second US PGA Tour event in three weeks.

Dufner (67) sunk a 25 foot birdie putt on the final hole of the 2012 Byron Nelson Championship at the TPC Four Seasons Resort to take the title by a stroke.

The 35 year old also got married in the last couple of weeks but not much breaks through the immutable Dufner façade.

“Two wins and to get married in the same month – it doesn’t get much better professionally or personally,” he said.

Dufner’s 11-under total edged out fellow American Dicky Pride (67), who was looking for his first win since 1994, while Australia’s Marc Leishman (66) finished tied for third along with Sweden’s Jonas Blixt (66) and Americans Joe Durant (65) and JJ Henry (68).

Leishman continued his good form of the earlier rounds and was in contention coming down the stretch but a bogey on the last didn’t help.

Jason Day started the final round on 7-under and was had a chance to repeat his 2009 victory in the event but after a bogey on the 4th never really got going and faded with a 72.

After waiting six years for his first win, Dufner now has two and shoots to the top of the season long FedEx Cup and can just about book his spot on the 2012 US Ryder Cup team.

If you think those successes added to the nearly three million odd million dollars he has won this month will really get the celebrations going, consider the last two Q&A’s at his winner’s media conference:

Q. When fans watch you on TV or see you in person, you look extraordinarily calm and nonexpressive, even in victory. When you get back to the hotel room will you let out a primal scream or chest bump Kevin when you see him?

JASON DUFNER: No, none of that.

Q. Do you ever get extra expressive?

JASON DUFNER: Here and there a couple of times a year. Usually there is some alcohol involved or Auburn football, but for the most part I’m laid back. We’ll head over to Ft. Worth, check into the hotel, get dinner, chat, and we will be on to next week at the Colonial. We will celebrate a little bit, but I’m pretty laid back all the time for the most part.

Nick Flanagan .. could be a career reviving win

AUSTRALIA’S Nick Flanagan has beaten compatriot Percy Cameron in a playoff for the Nationwide Tour’s 2012 BMW Charity Pro-Am in South Carolina.

It was a lucky win for the 28-year-old who hasn’t tasted victory on the US secondary tour since his standout 2007 season when his three wins earned him a battlefield promotion to the main tour.

The Novocastrian only lasted a year on the PGA Tour and this was only his second start this year.

Fortunes changed for the two Aussies on the final hole of regulation where one shot leader Percy spoilt his blemish free six-birdie round with a bogey that put him back to 15-under.

Flanagan was down by one in the group immediately behind and looked like he had hooked his approach shot on the par-4 into the grandstand but it careered off a television cameraman back onto the green where the grateful Aussie sunk a 15 foot birdie putt.

“Sometimes it’s better to be lucky rather than good, obviously. You’ve got to take every break you can get out here,” Flanagan said after bettering Percy on their third playoff hole.

Percy has had quite a good year but is yet to win on the Nationwide Tour and was rueful after spraying his drive on the third playoff hole into the trees.

“I just hit a bad tee shot on that last one,” the Victorian said. “I tried to hit it too hard. When it hit the path I was in all kinds of trouble.”

Flanagan collected US$108,000 for his efforts and vaulted all the way to No. 11 on the money list with two-thirds of the season yet to go. The 25 leading money winners at the end of the year will move onto the PGA Tour in 2013.

Flanagan believes he would make a better go of it than in 2008 when he made only 16 cuts in 29 starts and failed to keep his card.

“I got out there and didn’t feel very comfortable. The atmosphere is different and then I started struggling,” said Flanagan. “I was battling week to week the whole time. When you’re playing bad every week it’s hard to get motivated to play sometimes. At times I didn’t feel like I fit in. If I can get back there again I think I’ll be able to adapt a little easier.”

Percy did have the consolation of another strong finish on the Nationwide with his runners-up cheque moving him to sixth position on the money list whilst fellow Australian Alistair Presnell (21st) is also in the top 25.

"I just kind of got hot I guess..."

A RELATIVELY unknown Australian golfer has provisionally shot a world record 16-under-par 55 in the US.

Rhein Gibson, a 26 year old professional from Lismore in New South Wales, was playing at the River Oaks Golf Club in Oklahoma with two friends when he shot what is being reported as the lowest round in the history of the game.

Gibson plays on the lowly ranked Golfweek National Pro Tour where in six events this year he has won just $US16,552 to be 12th on the money list.

His last round on the tour was a 76 on the final day of the Midwest Open in Nebraska this week but the young Aussie does aspire to bigger and better things on the US PGA Tour.

Gibson’s record breaking round was on his “local” course in Oklahoma where he spent his college years at the Oklahoma Christian University.

He started his round on the 6698-yard par-71 course on the back nine and after warming up with a regulation par went eagle, birdie, eagle and then five straight birdies to finish the section 10-under par on 26.

He had to wait 15 minutes at the turn and parred the first two holes before birdying the rest apart from the par 5 sixth, rated the toughest hole on the course.

Gibson was a little nonplussed to say the least and is still working out what went right.

“I just kind of got hot I guess and every putt I hit went in, that’s the best I can explain it to be honest,” he said.

As he faced an eight-foot birdie putt on his final hole Gibson knew history was in the offing but felt calm.

“I wasn’t nervous. I had this song playing in my head. It is that new one from the Eli Young Band. It was in there all day.”

So the actual secret to golf could be a song by a band we have only just heard of today. Typical, we’ll have to investigate further.

Rhein Gibson's record breaking scorecard

Leishman ... 2009 Rookie of the Year

AUSTRALIA’S Marc Leishman soared with a pair of eagles on the back nine to be just one shot off the lead after the first round of the 2012 Byron Nelson Championship in Irving, Texas.

The 28-year-old chipped in to eagle the par-four 11th and holed an eight-foot eagle putt at the par-five 16th on the way to a five-under-par 65.

That was his best score in some 30 starts in what has been a lean period for the US PGA Tour’s 2009 Rookie of the Year.

“Today was a good reward for the work I’ve been doing the last three or four weeks,” Leishman said afterwards at the TPC Four Seasons Resort.

Leishman said he made an adjustment to square up his club face and had also been fighting some old habits, especially with his posture, which he said had “been a little hunched.”

Leishman hasn’t had a top 10 on the tour since his third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational early in 2011 but he knows he has to stay patient.

“You don’t have to play perfect to win,” he said. “I’m learning that. I think it takes a fair while to learn that.

“I’m just trying to do what I can to give myself a chance really. I think early in this year and late last year, I was trying to push too hard. Hopefully I can do the right things.”

Leading the Byron Nelson was American Ryan Palmer who lost a playoff for the championship title  last year with Keegan Bradley.

Palmer shot a bogey-free 6-under 64 to be one in front of Leishman and Germany’s Alex Cejka, with last Sunday’s Players Championship winner Matt Kuchar one of seven players on 4-under.

Jason Day and Nathan Green were the next best placed Aussies tied for 24th on 2-under while Matt Goggin was on 1-under after his 69.

Greg Chalmers and Nick O’Hern were on even while Adam Scott really has some work to do after a 3-over 73.

Scott had a double bogey on the par 4 fourth and four other bogies offset by three birdies.

Phil Mickelson, back at the Nelson for the first time in five years, shot 70 with two bogeys and two birdies.

Adam Scott ... 2008 Champion

AUSTRALIAN golfers will be hoping to break their duck on the US PGA Tour so far this year with both Adam Scott and Jason Day recent winners of the upcoming event in Irving, Texas.

Scott hasn’t played in the Byron Nelson Championship since he won it in 2008 and was also tied for third in 2006.

The event was Day’s maiden US Tour victory in 2010 and he went close to repeating the win when he was just a couple of shots off the playoff won by Keegan Bradley last year.

Both were feeling confident about their games in the lead up to the event this week, staged at the TPC Four Seasons Resort.

The highest ranked golfer in the field is last weekend’s winner Matt Kucher who has moved up to world No.5 and there is also world No.10 Phil Mickelson to contend with.

Other notables include major winners Ernie Els, Louis Oosthuizen, Vijay Singh and Padraig Harrington while Steven Bowditch, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Mathew Goggin, Nathan Green, Greg Chalmers, Nick O’Hern, Gavin Coles, Pampling and Monday qualifier  Stuart Deane  round out the Australian contingent.

There is one more Aussie with British Amateur winner Bryden McPherson receiving a late sponsors’ exemption to make his professional debut at the event.

Scott will play the first two rounds in a feature grouping with Mickelson and Els and comes fresh from a T15 finish at the Players on Sunday. He feels his 9th tour victory is not far off.

“My game is all right there. I just have to tighten it up a little bit somehow. It feels like I’m almost perfect for 65 of 72 holes,” Scott said this week. “I play so many good holes every week but just a couple of mistakes cost me.”

The 31-year-old disagrees with suggestions he just isn’t playing enough golf with this being just his 6th start this year.

“I don’t think so. I’m more prepared than I’ve ever been to play,” he said. “I believe this year my putting hasn’t been as good as last year and that has been what hasn’t allowed any momentum, or created some, or kept it going. My proximity to the hole is probably not quite as close as well and it puts a little bit more pressure on. But I know it’s really close to coming all together.”

2012 Byron Nelson Championship TV Times

The event is being telecast in Australia on Fox Sports with live coverage beginning early Friday morning.

1st Round, Friday 5am – 8am; 2nd Round, Saturday 5am – 8am; 3rd Round, Sunday 5am – 8am; Final Round, Monday 5am – 8am.

2012 Byron Nelson Championship Leaderboard

Mike Harwood gets his 2012 European Senior Tour campaign off to a flying start

LANKY Victorian Mike Harwood got his 2012 European Senior Tour off to a flying start with a second placing at the Mallorca Senior Open in Spain on the weekend.

Harwood shot a final round 1-under 70 to finish on 6-under equal second with South African Chris Williams and England’s Paul Wesselingh.

They were two shots behind the winner, Garry Wolstenholme, who had the distinction of being England’s most capped amateur before turning professional at the ripe old age of 50.

Wolstenholme shot a final round 69 at the Pula Golf Club for an eight-under total to claim what is his second Senior Tour title.

“Everything just clicked into place,” said Wolstenholme. “I came with no expectations so I cannot tell you how delighted I am. This is a genuine bonus.”

Graham Banister hit a sizzling final round 5-under 67 to come in as the next best Aussie on 1-under while Peter Fowler, fresh from his recent success on the PGA Legends Tour in South Australia, opened with a 69 but followed it with a 71 and 74 to finish 1-over in 16th spot.

Fowler won the 2011 European Senior Tour Order of Merit and will be keen to defend the title.

Kuchar takes golf's "fifth major"

MATT KUCHAR held his nerve over the punishing TPC Sawgrass final stretch for a two shot win at the 2012 Players Championship today in Florida.

The 33 year old became the first American in five years to win what is regarded as golf’s unofficial fifth major.

Kuchar started a stroke behind Kevin Na, the 54 hole leader despite having excruciating-to-watch issues with his take-away, and closed with a two under 70 to finish at 13-under.

A birdie on the sixteenth gave Kuchar a three shot buffer but he bogeyed the signature 17th par 3 island hole and admitted to having trouble even walking up the 18th because he was so nervous.

“I’m about to buckle, it’s such an amazing feeling,” a beaming Kuchar said. “To do it on Mother’s Day, while staying with Mum and Dad, it’s just magical.”

It was Kuchar’s fourth US PGA Tour victory and as well as the AUD$1.7 million winners cheque collected 600 Fedex Cup points to put him in sixth place in that season long race.

Scotland’s Martin Laird (67) shared second place with Americans Rickie Fowler (70), Zach Johnson (68) and Ben Curtis (68) while Kevin Na followed a growing tournament tradition of the third round leader posting a big Sunday number. That was a 76 that saw him slip to 8-under tied for 7th.

Geoff Ogilvy was the top placed Aussie, peaking on Sunday for the second successive week with his 69 putting him 6-under and tied for 12th.

“I played pretty well all week and this is a stepping stone I guess. I’m hitting the ball really well, I just need to make more putts,” Ogilvy said.

Adam Scott started the tournament well with a 68 and 70 but a 74 on Saturday put him behind the eight-ball. He closed with a 71 to finish a stroke behind Ogilvy at T15.

“I had some good stuff out there but some horrible mistakes also as I was kind of going for it a bit,” Scott said.

“I compounded a few mistakes by not being terribly smart. I played my way almost out of it yesterday and with three doubles in the week it makes it very tough.”

Marc Leishman finished on even in 45th, with Rod Pampling 3-over at T56 and Robert Allenby 4-over tied for 61st.

Tiger Woods had a disappointing tournament, closing with a 73 to finish tied for 40th, but at least made the cut unlike a number of notables including Jason Day and Rory McIlroy.

The US PGA Tour moves to Irving, Texas this week for the 2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship at the TPC Four Seasons Resort where Keegan Bradley is the defending champion

Adam Scott ... 2004 Champion

THE Players Championship is unofficially regarded as golf’s fifth major and the 2012 version certainly has the prize purse and field to match the reputation.

Most of the world’s top golfers will line up this week at the famed TPC Sawgrass at Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida to battle for the A$1.68 million winner’s cheque.

With one of golf’s richest purses of A$9.34 million on offer, even the runner up earns a seven figure sum.

The field includes all but one of the current world top ten, with only world No.4 Bubba Watson absent, and 21 major winners.

Watson, the 2012 US Masters Champion, said he was taking the month off to bond with his wife and newly adopted 2 year old son Caleb.

That still leaves, in order of world ranking, Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker, Tiger Woods, Martin Kaymer, Webb Simpson and Phil Mickelson.

Past winners taking part include defending champion KJ Choi, Adam Scott (2004), Sergio Garcia (2008) and dual title holder Fred Couples (1984, 1996).

As well as Scott there are nine other Aussie golfers taking part including Jason Day, Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Geoff Ogilvy, Marc Leishman, Nick O’Hern, Rod Pampling and the in-form John Senden.

Australia hasn’t had a winner on the PGA Tour this year, one of the worst starts to a season in years, but maybe this weekend can be the turning point.

Scott has had limited outings this year but has primed himself for the major events and did show some form on Sunday at Augusta.

Ogilvy has also had a comparatively poor start to the year but had a season low 65 at the Wells Fargo Championship last Sunday.

Day says he has been dogged by injuries but after a T9 at the Wells Fargo is feeling confident.

“The year has been a bit of a bummer because of the injuries but last week it seemed to come together for most of the week and it is a good confidence builder,” he said at the course this week.

“I grew up on greens like this back in Queensland and I feel like I can read them very well. I am looking forward to contending here but I want to keep a level head and not pump myself up too much.

“Like I said, the reality is I am in a really good place right now, I have a kid on the way, I don’t have any worries, my health is back so I’m just happy and that should translate to stress-free smart golf.”

Of course a real star every year at The Players is the par three 17th hole.

It is a mere 137 yards but most of that is over water to the distinctive island green.

2012 The Players Championship TV Times

The event is being telecast in Australia on Fox Sports with live coverage beginning very early morning (AEST) for keen golf fans.

1st Round, Friday 3am – 9am; 2nd Round, Saturday 3am – 9am; 3rd Round, Sunday 4am – 9am; Final Round, Monday 4am – 9am.

2012 The Players Championship Live Leaderboard

Mickelson tees off during the 2011 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne

PHIL MICKELSON’S obvious love of golf was rewarded this week with his induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The 41 year old American was acknowledged for an ongoing career that so far includes 42 wins, four majors, two World Golf Championships, eight Ryder Cup teams and every Presidents Cup team since it began in 1994.

Also inducted on Monday night were Scotland’s two-time major champion Sandy Lyle, golf writer Dan Jenkins, British player-turned-broadcaster Peter Alliss, and four-time LPGA major champion Hollis Stacy.

That brought membership in the Hall of Fame to 141, nearly half of them since it moved to the World Golf Village in 1998. It was the second straight year following on from Ernie Els in 2011 that a current player still ranked in the top 20 was inducted.

Tongue-in-cheek, Mickelson thanked his large fan base.

“There have been a lot of times where I’ve struggled, and it’s been their energy that’s helped pull me through,” he said. “I’ve tried to reciprocate by launching drive after drive in their general direction.”

Mickelson fronted up the next day for the 2012 Players Championship at the TPC Sawgrass, where he is one of the favourites, and spoke of his love for the game.

“It’s everything about the game,” Mickelson said when asked what he particularly liked about golf. “Whether it’s just the challenge of making contact and hitting the ball or the challenge of being creative and hitting shots around the greens.”

The affection goes back a long way.

“I loved going out there on a rainy day practicing under the palm tree when nobody was around hitting balls out onto the par-three course where I grew up,” he said.

“I love going down to the club and just hanging out, hanging out and spending time with the guys before and after a round. I just love everything about the game.

“It’s been such a big part of my life, that I’m very appreciative that I get to do what I do. I’d like to see other people enjoy it the way I do.”

Funk: "I love it too much."

AMERICA’S Fred Funk has fought back after three years of injury to win the US Champion Tour’s 2012 Insperity Championship in Texas.

The 55 year old birdied the final hole at The Woodlands Country Club to beat compatriot Tom Lehman by a stroke.

“I wasn’t sure whether I was going to have a career,” Funk said. “I’ve been really blessed with this opportunity to play again, and play at a high level. I didn’t want to give up yet. I love it too much.”

Funk developed a staph infection and had knee replacement surgery in 2009 and had two surgeries on his left thumb late last year.

Funk has a strong connection and obvious affection for the Woodlands course.

With his 16-year-old son Taylor carrying his bag, he birdied four of the last five holes to win on the same course where he won the 1992 Shell Houston Open.

That was the first of his eight victories on the regular PGA TOUR and he met his second wife, Sharon, at a post-tournament event the same year.

Sharon was the first person to run onto the green and hug him Sunday.

“It was a storybook-type week,” Funk said.

Australia’s Peter Senior staged his own mini-fightback on the weekend, improving from his opening 73 to post a 70 and then a final round 68. That was enough for a tournament total of 5-under and a share of 13th place.

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