by Jeff Skinner
1. I think the PGA of America should commission a change to the Wannamaker Trophy. How about putting a golfer on top of that thing, a golfer “Dufnering” of course.
2. Got to love Jason Dufner on the 18th green as his wife Amanda rushes in to hug him Duf gives her a little ass slap. Yeah Duf!
3. Jim Furyk was looking for some redemption today but it was Dufner who earned a huge chunk of redemption from the PGA. It was two years ago that Dufner lost the PGA in a playoff to Keegan Bradley on a putt that would still be travelling if it hadn’t hit the hole. Sweet redemption it is.
4. It was a ball striking clinic for three days as Dufner spent more time in the fairway than anyone else all week.
5. I spent Friday and Saturday at Oak Hill and plenty of it was following Dufner. As he was lighting the course up on Friday afternoon my son insisted we follow him in. We did, he was killing it and we witnessed history.
6. On Saturday we sat at the fifth hole, it was killing the golfers, and watched as Duf rinsed his ball in the creek. Minutes later the hole marshal shows up with Duf’s ball that he retrieved from the creek…not a bad souvenir.
7. On Friday afternoon with Tiger approaching the sixth tee box Jonas Blixt hit his tee ball on four 75 yards left of the center of the fairway. It landed on an unused tee box among dozens of fans. No one was paying any attention to him because Woods was coming to the tee. He proceeded to pound it over the fans, the tress and onto the fairway. He went on to par the hole and no one ever noticed.
8. After watching Phil and the morning wave play through pouring rain on Friday and then Tiger and the afternoon wave finish in bright sun my son said it seemed like we saw two different days. After ten hours on Oak Hill it certainly felt like it.
9. The rough was the main defense for Oak Hill and those that found it were severely punished. Players were better off missing the fairways by 20 yards where they could play it from grass trampled down by the fans. But miss the fairway by two yards and you were dead.
10. On Friday we spotted Sean Foley near the 15th hole, he was talking to a agent looking type wearing an IMG logo shirt. As Foley left he hollered back to Mr. IMG. “Tell Dufner to slow down.” I saw the same guy walking with Duf to the trophy ceremony. Free advice from Foley…or maybe something else?
11. We watched Matt Kuchar get relief from an embedded ball in the side of a bunker on Sunday afternoon. He called for a rules official to make the call. Who showed up? John Paramor. Is he the only official that works these thing? He seems to be everywhere.
12. The big three couldn’t get it done this week as Tiger and Phil showcased golf games unlike those we saw the last time they played. But maybe Rory McIlroy has turned the corner. 13. 69-71-67-70 and a T8 finish for the defending PGA Champion wasn’t a bad showing at all.
13. Our favorite character was at it again as Miguel Angel Jimenez opening round 68 had him hanging around the top of the leaderboard with all the flatbellies once again. And his Sunday 67 moved him up to a T29 finish. Not bad for a 49 year old.
14. Jim Furyk may not garner all the fans of a Phil or Tiger but once again he showed that not only is his game world class, he is too. A real gentleman all the way.
15. After spending two days at Oak Hill I was impressed with the course and the Rochester fans. Most of them seem to know and appreciate their golf.
16. Jason Dufner is his own man and Hogan is one of his heroes. He reminds me of Raymond Floyd with that upright stance and he has a similar frame to the old master of the stare. Maybe he can channel a little Hogan, 9 majors and Floyd, 4 majors and win a few more of these things.
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