Truth & Rumors: Jason Dufner to skip start of FedEx Cup playoffs
Jason Dufner, currently ranked No. 3 in the FedEx Cup standings, is taking a slow approach to the start of the PGA Tour playoffs. He's skipping the first event.
Dufner announced his intention to skip The Barclays on Friday in order to rest up for his late season schedule, according to Helen Ross of PGATour.com.
"I’ve had a pretty heavy schedule since Firestone or so and I’m looking forward to the second part of the Playoffs," Dufner told Ross. "I’m just not going to be able to do eight out of nine weeks with the TOUR Championship and Ryder Cup at the end of it."
Guessing that's not what the Tour wants to hear. Dufner is playing this week at the Wyndham Championship, and actually has a chance to vault over Tiger Woods and into Cup's top spot with a good showing. (He'll go into the weekend at five under -- seven shots back.) As it is, the Duf was slated to play in the marquee group alongside Woods and Rory McIlroy next week at Bethpage.
But Dufner's priorities are less immediate than that, and, apparently, his motivations are less monetary. Dufner defended his choice to play the Wyndham rather than the more lucrative Barclays, explaining that he has played in Greensboro each of the seven years he's been on tour, and felt a strong need to extend that streak. In our book, there's nothing wrong with that.
