May 27 (Reuters) – Zach Johnson outdueled fellow-American
Jason Dufner, the PGA Tour’s hottest player, posting a
final-round 72 on Sunday to win the Colonial Invitational golf
tournament in Fort Worth, Texas.
Johnson walked off the final green believing he had won by
three strokes after sinking a four-foot par putt, but he ended
up being penalized two strokes for not remarking his ball after
moving it out of the path of Dufner’s putt.
That still gave 2007 Masters champion Johnson a one-shot
victory with a 72-hole total of 12-under-par 268 for his first
Tour win since capturing the Colonial two years ago. Dufner
registered a 74 for 269.
Johnson entered the round one stroke behind Dufner, winner
of two of his last three PGA starts, and was tied with him for
the lead through 13 holes with the rest of the field well out of
the race.
A birdie at the 14th put Johnson ahead for good, and Dufner
helped ease the pressure by soaring to a triple-bogey at the
15th after putting his approach shot into the water.
Tommy Gainey finished third on 273 after a 67, followed by
fellow American Jim Furyk who shot a 68 for 274.
The victory for Johnson, who had finished second in two of
his last three PGA tournaments, was the eighth of his career.
(Reporting By Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Gene Cherry)
