Winning isn't always everything in Playoffs
By Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM Managing Editor
NORTON, Mass. -- As Heath Slocum showed last week, the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup do not belong solely to the guys with the loftiest credentials.
And as Jason Dufner and Marc Leishman showed on Monday at the Deutsche Bank Championship, a Playoffs event does not have to be won in order to feel great about the result after 72 holes.
Sure, Dufner would have loved to have shocked the world. He would have loved to have participated in a playoff with Scott Verplank and Steve Stricker, but September Steve avoided extra holes with a birdie-birdie finish to win at TPC Boston.
And sure, Leishman would have wanted to finish higher up on the leaderboard, especially after his second-round 9-under 62 when he challenged the course record.
But Dufner's tie for second and Leishman's tie for 15th are the kind of feel-good results that might go unnoticed as we celebrate the champion of each event.
They are the kind of results that need to be better appreciated, because these Playoffs offer a chance to become more than just a one-week wonder.
In the Playoffs, it's not just about the trophy and the big check. It's also about surviving. It's about moving on. It's about playing well one week and knowing that the dividends are felt in future weeks, such as a berth in this week's no-cut BMW Championship. Or a berth in THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola, where the FedExCup will be on the line.
"The way the Playoffs are set up this year," Dufner said, "if you have a great week any given week, you can move up into that TOUR Championship."
Consider his perspective. He didn't start playing golf until age 15. Since turning pro in 2000, he's spent most of his career on the Nationwide Tour, where he won two events. He's never won a PGA TOUR event, although he did finish tied for third at the RBC Canadian Open this year. At age 33, he appears to be a late bloomer.
On Labor Day, he found himself in the biggest battle of his career. In a tournament that included Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in the field, and had multiple major winners such as Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera breathing down his neck, Dufner looked up at the leaderboard and saw something curious.
Thanks to his string of four consecutive birdies early in his round, his name was in full view near the top.
"I think I saw a scoreboard maybe on the sixth hole or maybe it was 7, and saw that ... after my fast start that I was right up there around the lead," he said. "Then I really didn't catch one until I got to 15 and then I still realized that I was tied for first."
Dufner didn't manage as many fireworks on his back nine, but he held it together. When his birdie putt dropped on the par-5 18th, he owned the clubhouse lead until Stricker passed him 45 minutes or so later by also birdieing 18.
Still, he will take the result -- not just the tie for second but the leap to ninth in the FedExCup standings. Not bad for a guy who was 42nd just two weeks ago. Now he's in good shape to make the top 30 that will play at East Lake.
"At the beginning of the year, one of my goals was to finish top 30 for THE TOUR Championship," he said, "so that's slowly becoming a reality after next week."
Leishman, a 25-year-old Australian, was even further down the list when the Playoffs started, ranking 78th. After missing the cut at The Barclays, he was fortunate to still maintain a position inside the top 100.
As he approached the 18th hole Monday, his Playoffs journey was in jeopardy of ending, as he hovered right along the top 70 cut line in points. In fact, he and playing partner -- and fellow Aussie -- Geoff Ogilvy were both watching the points projections on the scoreboard.
Leishman felt that a birdie might keep him alive, but he wasn't sure. He did know that an eagle would be the best thing. And so that's what he went out and got. As a result, he'll head to Cog Hill 67th on the points list.
"Probably before today, I wanted to seal up my (TOUR) card for next year," Leishman said. "But to get through to the BMW next week is awesome."
Awesome also is seeing guys mature in the Playoffs. Leishman is just a rookie; Dufner is a guy who's been knocking around for a while. Neither won on Monday, but both left TPC Boston smiling.
"This week was great, but this year has been a big step for me professionally as far as a golfer goes," Dufner said. "If you look at my history, I've really struggled out here to even maintain my card, and now to be ninth in the points, that's a huge step for the whole year."
Shop your favorite brand name golf equipment and accessories at SHOP.PGATOUR.COM
FAN ZONE
PGATOUR.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network