Dufner Joins U.S. Open Discussion With Bizarre Memorial Win

Not only did Jason Dufner win the Memorial for a long-awaited return to the winner's circle, he did it in entertainingly bizarre fashion. The weather, the wind, the rain, the delays, the quality leaderboard, the 16th hole and the 18th all tried to trip up the third-round 77-shooter. But Dufner somehow overcame it all to win at Jack's place for his fifth PGA Tour victory.

He heads to Erin Hills and the U.S. Open a legitimate threat given his play, ball striking and newfound confidence.

Kevin Casey at Golfweek on the amazing back nine turnaround.

Birdies at 10 and 12 got him in position, another at 15 pushed him into the lead and a stuffed wedge from 119 yards inside 3 feet at the par-4 17th meant another. Suddenly, he was 13 under and had a two-shot on the 72nd hole. Would Dufner cave to the pressure, especially with Rickie Fowler directly behind him? No chance.

Dufner drove it into the right rough on 18 before lightning hit and play was suspended. Again.

Inclement weather had forced suspension of play at 4:18 p.m. Eastern. The delay would last for 1 hour and 17 minutes. Another delay started with that lightning at 6:48 p.m. and lasted until an 8:05 p.m. restart.

Once play started again, Dufner knocked his second shot into more rough beside the fairway and then put one 40 feet from the hole. With that left for par and hanging onto a two-shot lead, Dufner drained the long putt to essentially seal the deal. Clutch.

Bob Harig at ESPN.com on Dufner becoming the first player since Nick Faldo in the 1989 Masters to overcome a score of 77 or higher to win a PGA Tour event.

"I've always been a fighter," said Dufner, who shot a final-round 68. "Especially since I turned professional. Doing this hasn't come easy for me. There's been a lot of struggles and a lot of setbacks. I didn't come straight out of college and play the PGA Tour. It took me almost 10 years to get out here. Took me another two after that to win and actually get to where I felt comfortable.

"So I always take pride in kind of being a fighter, trying to come back. I played really good a couple of weeks ago in Dallas and have a great history at Colonial, and I missed the cut. I was pissed. I was upset. I was disappointed. You have all these thoughts in the moment."

The winning putt: