PGA Tour: Can Jason Dufner Win the FedEx Cup?

A FedEx Cup title would restore Jason Dufner’s status as one of the top players on the PGA Tour, but does he have what it takes?

Even at the peak of his career, Jason Dufner was regarded as one of the more enigmatic players on the PGA Tour. His laid-back attitude on the course and regular guy physique made him a rarity in the ranks of professional golf, as did his impressive extended run over the 2012 and 2013 seasons.

He won three times in those years, including the PGA Championship in 2013. He finished fourth on the money list in 2012 and won three points for Team USA at the Ryder Cup that same season. Meanwhile, Dufner made the most of his success — the proud Auburn Tiger married an Alabama alumna in May 2012 (they split less than three years later) and transformed into one of golf’s most prominent names, even getting meme-ified at the height of his fame.

And then, as quickly as he rose to game’s upper echelon, he faded. 2014 was already trying year for Dufner — his best finish was a playoff loss to Adam Scott at Colonial, leaving him with his first winless season since 2011.

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Then it happened: injury struck. He was forced to withdraw from his title defense at the PGA Championship thanks to two bulging disks in his neck. He qualified for the Ryder Cup team (mostly on the strength of his major win from the year before) but was forced to forgo his spot, and he didn’t return to competitive action until the ISPS HANDA Perth International in late October.

While many were optimistic about Dufner’s return, others were not. Despite his relatively recent rise, he was still a 37-year-old man trying to come back from an injury to his spine — not exactly the best candidate to pick up where he left off. Sure enough, he notched just two top 10s in the 2014-15 season and was bounced from the FedEx Cup playoffs after the second leg. By the end of the year, he had slipped to No. 135 in the world ranking, his lowest position in more than six years.

That was the situation as Dufner headed into 2016 — he was an aging former major champion who seemed to be merely playing out the string until retirement. However, the dynamic changed with his thrilling playoff win over David Lingmerth at the CareerBuilder Challenge, where he ranked fifth in both driving accuracy and, uncharacteristically, putts per green in regulation. The victory reignited his career and restored him to good standing in the world ranking.

While Dufner hasn’t managed to contend for any titles since that win, it’s still been a successful season — his total of 11 top 10 finishes is evidence of that. His putting stroke has looked as unsalvageable as ever, but his rankings of sixth in greens in regulation and 19th in scoring average indicate a player who can still peg it with the best of the best.

Jason Dufner poses with the trophy after winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2012. CREDIT: Kohjiro Kinno (Photo by Kohjiro Kinno /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)(Set Number: X154759 TK2 R9 F30 ) /

Even talented players sometimes have trouble remaining in FedEx Cup contention once the chaos of the playoffs sets in, but Dufner currently sits in 19th place at the midway point of the postseason. With nearly 1,600 points, his spot in the Tour Championship is secure, but he’ll need to win one of the final two events to give himself any shot at the $10 million bonus that comes with winning the PGA Tour’s season-long prize.

What are his chances? Dufner hasn’t missed a cut since the Masters, and with eight top 35s in his last ten starts, his form is good enough. However, he hasn’t notched a top 10 since the U.S. Open, so he needs to kick it into gear. He tied for 28th at Crooked Stick four years ago, experience that should help him somewhat at this week’s BMW Championship. He’s also made four career appearances at the Tour Championship, more than most who have a shot at cracking this year’s field.

Dufner has been around the block a few times, so he should be in the right frame of mind to do some damage over the next two events. A win still seems unlikely at this point, but that doesn’t really matter. It’s already been an improbable season in the improbable career of Jason Dufner. An improbable run at the FedEx Cup title would be the icing on the cake.

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What do you think: does Jason Dufner have what it takes to win the FedEx Cup? Let us know in the comments, and keep it here at Pro Golf Now for more on your favorite PGA Tour players.

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