Dufner climbs into top 20 in ranking after second win in last three starts

IRVING, Texas -- Jason Dufner stood on the 18th green, his lips together seemingly trying to suppress a smile while his playing partner finished the hole to end the HP Byron Nelson Championship.

Dufner had already made a 25-foot birdie putt to win for the second time in four weeks.

And now he has climbed into the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career. Dufner rose to No. 14 from his previous perch at No. 21 – he had begun the year at No. 33, in large part because of his playoff loss at the PGA Championship last August.

With top many players taking the week off, there was little change in the top 10. In fact, the top eight positions stayed exactly the same, with the only movement being Phil Mickelson rising from 10th up to ninth place and Justin Rose climbing from 12th up to 10th place. Martin Kaymer, previously ninth, slid down to 11th.

After Kaymer, the second 10 includes No. 12 Webb Simpson (down from 11th), No. 13 Adam Scott, No. 14 Dufner, No. 15 Louis Oosthuizen (down from 14th), No. 16 Charl Schwartzel (down from 15th), No. 17 Jason Day (down from 16th), No. 18 Graeme McDowell (up from 20th), No. 19 Dustin Johnson (down from 17th) and No. 20 Rickie Fowler (down from 18th).

Also this week, Nicolas Colsaerts vaults up to No. 32 from his previous perch at No. 51 on the strength of his victory at the Volvo World Match Play Championship in Spain.

Dufner was steady throughout the Byron Nelson, and was alone with a one-stroke lead after the second and third rounds when gusty winds prevailed on the TPC at Four Seasons course. He had a closing 3-under 67 for a 11-under 269, one stroke better than Dicky Pride – and most important, his long birdie on the final hole meant he avoided a playoff.

''I knew if I made birdie that I would win, par would be a playoff,'' Dufner said. ''But the playoffs aren't much fun. My experiences in them aren't too great.''

Dufner won at New Orleans in a two-hole playoff against Ernie Els a few weeks ago. But he lost twice in playoffs last season, including to Keegan Bradley in the PGA Championship. Bradley was the defending Nelson champion, but finished tied for 24th after a closing 72 for a 278.

After getting his first victory April 29 at New Orleans, Dufner got married the following week.

Now he already has another victory, joining Hunter Mahan as the only two-time winners this season. Dufner won $1.17 million, took over the top spot in the FedExCup standings and extended his full-exempt PGA Tour status through the 2015 season.

''You probably couldn't dream it any better than what's been going on here,'' Dufner said. ''The wedding has been in the works for close to a year, so we know that's been coming around the corner. And there's been a lot of good golf since then, but to win two events and get married in the span of 22 days, pretty remarkable.''