lundi 15 août 2011

UPDATE 3-Golf-Dufner closes in on PGA title with two-shot lead

* Dufner two strokes clear with four holes to play
* Compatriot Bradley alone in second place (Updates after leaders complete 14 holes)
By Mark Lamport-Stokes
JOHNS CREEK, Georgia, Aug 14 (Reuters) - The 93rd PGA Championship was heading for a surprising finish as American journeyman Jason Dufner held a two-shot lead with four holes to play in Sunday's final round.
Bidding to end an unprecedented run of six majors without a U.S. champion, world number 80 Dufner was four under for the day and 11 under overall on a sun-splashed afternoon at Atlanta Athletic Club.
Joint leader overnight with PGA Tour rookie Brendan Steele, Dufner rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt at the par-five 12th to get to 10 under and then doubled his lead by sinking a 15-footer at the par-four 13th.
The unflappable American, who tied for fifth in last year's PGA Championship at Whistling Straits but has yet to win a PGA Tour title, pumped his right fist in celebration before safely parring the tricky 14th.
That left him two strokes clear of compatriot Keegan Bradley, who had aslo completed 14 holes.
Tall Swede Robert Karlsson, who eagled the par-five 12th after hitting a superb iron approach to five feet, was a further shot back in third, level with Dane Anders Hansen.
Karlsson had two holes to play and Hansen three.
British world number one Luke Donald, six strokes off the pace overnight, made a last-day charge with four birdies in the first 12 holes before slipping back to card a 68 for a three-under total of 277.
Also at three under was second-ranked Briton Lee Westwood who, like Donald closed to within three of the lead before returning a 68.
The final day, however, had been dominated by the unlikely figure of Dufner with his distinctive nine waggles before each shot and his steady 'fairways and greens' game.
The 34-year-old picked up his first shot of the round after getting up and down from just short of the green at the driveable par-four sixth and then drained a 25-footer at the par-four eighth to tighten his grip.
Two ahead at the turn, he was briefly caught by Bradley when the PGA Tour rookie eagled the par-five 12th but Dufner regained control with his birdies at the 12th and 13th.

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