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Golf roundup: Jason Dufner’s final-round 68 carries him to win at the Memorial

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Jason Dufner never lost sight of the big picture even after losing a big lead. It paid off for him Sunday when he rallied from a four-shot deficit and holed a 30-foot par putt on the 18th to close out a victory in the Memorial.

Dufner lost a five-shot lead in the third round. He started the final round facing a four-shot deficit. And then he played his best golf on the back nine, and kept his composure during two rain delays, to close with a four-under-par 68 and win by three shots.

“Yesterday was not my best day,” Dufner said of his 77. “But I had to get over it quick. It’s a 72-hole tournament, there’s a lot of things that can happen out there. I knew I was still in the mix.”

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Dufner finished at 13-under 275 for his fifth PGA Tour victory, and he joined tournament host Jack Nicklaus as the only Ohio-born winners of the Memorial.

Not since Nick Faldo in the 1989 has anyone shot 77 in the third round and still won on the PGA Tour.

Rickie Fowler, in prime position to force a playoff on the 18th hole by making birdie, instead made bogey after Dufner ended it with his big par putt. Fowler shot 70 and tied for second with Anirban Lahiri, who closed with a 65.

Justin Thomas missed consecutive short birdie putts that stopped any momentum he had. Matt Kuchar fell back with three bogeys on the back nine. They finished another shot behind. Daniel Summerhays, who began the final round with a three-shot lead, began the back nine with two straight bogeys, and he finished with a double bogey for a 78 to tie for 10th.

Dufner set the 36-hole scoring record at Muirfield Village. No one would have been surprised Friday afternoon that he would be shaking hands with Nicklaus at the end of the tournament.

Dufner got back into the mix quickly when Summerhays lost his three-shot lead after four holes. Over the next five hours — with 2 1/2 hours’ worth of rain delays — four players had at least a share of the lead and seven players were in the hunt.

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Suddenly, he can start thinking about reaching the Tour Championship and possibly playing in the Presidents Cup.

“I’m pumped to be in the mix again,” Dufner said. “It’s been a good year so far, but this has made it nice.”

Kim captures LPGA Classic

In-Kyung Kim held off two-time defending champion Anna Nordqvist on Sunday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic for her fifth tour title.

Tied with Paula Creamer for the second-round lead, Kim closed with a two-under 69 for a two-stroke victory over Nordqvist at Stockton Seaview in Galloway Township, N.J.

Kim was making her sixth start since returning from a injury sustained falling down stairs. The 28-year-old South Korean player won the Reignwood LPGA Classic late last season in China.

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Nordqvist shot a 69. Kim finished at 11-under 202.

Michelle Wie had a 65 to tie for third at seven under with Jenny Shin (69), Jacqui Concolino (70) and Jeong Eun Lee (71). Creamer had a 74 to drop into a tie for seventh at six under.

On Saturday, Ariya Jutanugarn took the No. 1 spot in the world ranking to be released Monday. Taking the week off, Jutanugarn replaced Lydia Ko atop the ranking when So Yeon Ryu missed the cut.

Paratore wins Nordea Masters

Renato Paratore won the Nordea Masters for his first European Tour title. The 20-year-old Italian finished stroke ahead of Englishmen Chris Wood and last year’s titleholder Matthew Fitzpatrick.

Paratore started the final day at the Barseback Gold and Country Club in Malmo, Sweden, one stroke behind Wood. He finished at 11-under after having managed par over each of the final four holes to finish with a round of 70.

George Coetzee of South Africa and Tjorbjorn Olesen of Denmark each finished two strokes behind.

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