Jason Dufner takes lead at CareerBuilder Challenge
Associated PRess
LA QUINTA, CALIF.
Jason Dufner knows his way around PGA West’s TPC Stadium Course and the adjacent Nicklaus Tournament Course. He learned out of necessity at the 2008 PGA Tour qualifying tournament.
“I probably played each four or five times before that Q-school started,” Dufner said. “I played unbelievable. I think I shot 24 or 25 under for the six rounds. And to be honest with you, this is kind of where everything started for me, because then in 2009 I had a really nice season. That’s kind of when I started playing some good golf.”
He thought back to that experience Friday in the CareerBuilder Challenge when he shot a 7-under 65 on the Stadium Course to take a one-stroke lead over Jamie Lovemark.
“I remember a lot of the shots and how the course played,” Dufner said.
The Pete Dye-designed Stadium Course is back in the event rotation after being dumped following its debut in 1987, and the Nicklaus Tournament Course is being used for the first time. They got in when the Palmer and Nicklaus private layouts dropped out.
The Stadium Course has mellowed over the years and equipment technology has helped tame it — a bit.
“It’s a difficult golf course,” Dufner said. “There’s a little bit of room to play off the tee, but if you get off the path a little bit, you can get into some trouble. He’s (Dye’s) got some water out there. He’s got some tricky bunkers. You get some uneven lies here and there. ... It’s definitely the most difficult of the courses we have played here.”
Dufner parred the final four holes, escaping trouble on the par-5 16th after his drive strayed to the left. The 2013 PGA Championship winner played the front nine in 6-under 30, bogeyed the 10th after hitting into the greenside water, and added birdies on 12 and 14. He was forced to lay up on all four par-5 holes and took advantage of many short approach shots.