A defiant Jason Dufner insisted he would not let his golfing career be defined by his late collapse at the USPGA Championship.
Dufner defied his lack of major success when looking ice cool during Sunday's final round, making his way serenely into a five-shot lead after 14 holes of the final major of the year.
However, three straight bogeys saw Dufner slip back into a tie with fast-finishing Keegan Bradley, who recovered from a triple bogey on 15 with back-to-back birdies to enter the pay-off on a high.
34-year-old Dufner almost holed his second shot in the play-off and yet fell one behind there, and lost by one after the three extra holes, but still wanted to take positives out of the week.
Although with his collapse not as spectacular as Jean van der Velde's, similarities have already been drawn, but Dufner insists he will not let his career be known solely for losing in Atlanta.
"I don't feel like I was nervous," Dufner said of his late run of bogeys.
"I knew what was at stake. I was confident with my game, but just didn't quite execute a couple of shots coming in.
"I'm disappointed now, but there's a lot of good things to take from this week.
"I love the competition and I want to be as good as I can be. If that's 20th in the world with no majors, first in the world with 10 majors or never win a Tour event I'll be fine with it.
"I'm not going to let this define my career. I have a lot of things ahead of me."
Dufner singled out the bogey on 16 as his biggest regret, as he admitted making a mistake in trying to play an easy four iron second shot instead of a full five iron.
"I'm more disappointed about 16 and 17 than 15," Dufner added. "I eased off of it, lost it to the right into that bunker, which is not a good up-and-down. Probably the worst iron shot of the week. Just happens.
"I hate that it happened on the 69th hole of a major. Would have been a lot better if it was the third hole of a major."
Dufner, who started playing golf at 15, says he has come a long way and is still proud of his achievements, which he hopes will provide him with a base to build a successful career.
"Coming from where I came from, to be in this position, it's a dream come true," said Dufner.
"I could never have imagined playing in major championships, playing with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods; that's a milestone to me itself.
"I'm not going to let this define my career."
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Dufner defied his lack of major success when looking ice cool during Sunday's final round, making his way serenely into a five-shot lead after 14 holes of the final major of the year.
However, three straight bogeys saw Dufner slip back into a tie with fast-finishing Keegan Bradley, who recovered from a triple bogey on 15 with back-to-back birdies to enter the pay-off on a high.
34-year-old Dufner almost holed his second shot in the play-off and yet fell one behind there, and lost by one after the three extra holes, but still wanted to take positives out of the week.
Although with his collapse not as spectacular as Jean van der Velde's, similarities have already been drawn, but Dufner insists he will not let his career be known solely for losing in Atlanta.
"I don't feel like I was nervous," Dufner said of his late run of bogeys.
"I knew what was at stake. I was confident with my game, but just didn't quite execute a couple of shots coming in.
"I'm disappointed now, but there's a lot of good things to take from this week.
"I love the competition and I want to be as good as I can be. If that's 20th in the world with no majors, first in the world with 10 majors or never win a Tour event I'll be fine with it.
"I'm not going to let this define my career. I have a lot of things ahead of me."
Dufner singled out the bogey on 16 as his biggest regret, as he admitted making a mistake in trying to play an easy four iron second shot instead of a full five iron.
"I'm more disappointed about 16 and 17 than 15," Dufner added. "I eased off of it, lost it to the right into that bunker, which is not a good up-and-down. Probably the worst iron shot of the week. Just happens.
"I hate that it happened on the 69th hole of a major. Would have been a lot better if it was the third hole of a major."
Dufner, who started playing golf at 15, says he has come a long way and is still proud of his achievements, which he hopes will provide him with a base to build a successful career.
"Coming from where I came from, to be in this position, it's a dream come true," said Dufner.
"I could never have imagined playing in major championships, playing with Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods; that's a milestone to me itself.
"I'm not going to let this define my career."
Read more...
