Joins the likes of Bo Jackson, Willie Mays
AUBURN – Former Auburn and current PGA Tour member Jason Dufner will be inducted into the ASHOF on May 3, joining a lengthy list of Auborn Tiger athletes already enshrined.
That list includes the likes of Bo Jackson, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Jesse Owens.
“It’s a great honor,” Dufner told Jeff Shearer of AuburnTigers.com. “Alabama has an extensive and accomplished group of athletes who have come through this state, either having been born here or having college roots. To be regarded as someone who accomplished to that level, it’s quite an honor.”
The honor, says Dufner, is a tad bittersweet, indicating as it does that his best days on the course most likely are in the past. He currently is not on the PGA Tour’s active list.
“Part of me is a little sad because when you get honored for these types of things, they’re talking about what you did was great and maybe you’re not going to be doing that anymore,” he told Shearer.
Jason Dufner on cusp of Champions Tour eligibility
That doesn’t mean he’s through with the game. Dufner will turn 50 in March 2027, making him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions.
“Golf is a weird sport in the fact that you never really retire,” he said. “I’m looking forward to being competitive and playing golf against guys closer to my age. I don’t consider myself retired from the sport I’ve played predominantly for the past 25 years, but it’s nice to be recognized.”
Unlike many of his Auburn golf counterparts, Dufner was not highly recruited. He arrived at Auburn as a walk-on.
“I didn’t have an extensive junior resume,” he said. “I liked the town. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail was new back then, and the golf team was nationally recognized and had a lot of guys who left the year before. “In 1995, it was a lot different than it is now.”
Although he started his career with the Tigers as a walk-on, he concluded it having won three tournaments. Just like his college career, it took Dufner time to build his success on the PGA Tour. Now that he is just shy of 50 years old, his Tour resume includes five victories. Amongn those five majors was the 2013 PGA Championship – one of golf’s majors.
Jason Dufner: Staying on the Tour harder than winning
“The only person who’s telling you if you’re good enough is yourself and your results,” he said. “I had good enough results that kept me positive and feeling like I had a chance to make some of the dreams I had a reality.
“There were definitely low points, like every athlete has, but I always had just enough success to keep that dream alive. It took me a little longer to get where I wanted to. Once I got comfortable with playing and having some success on the PGA Tour, that gave me more confidence to achieve the things I did.
“Getting on the PGA Tour and staying out there for a year or two was probably the most challenging thing I encountered in my career, probably a lot more challenging than winning tournaments.”
Dufner enjoyed his time at Auburn University so much, he’s made it his home and remains an active fan of the Tigers. He’s a regular at many sporting events and remains close to the school’s golf program.
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Featured image courtesy of Jason Dufner’s X account
