American Jason Dufner clinched his first PGA Tour title with a nail-biting playoff victory over veteran South African Ernie Els at the New Orleans Classic in Avondale, Louisiana, Sunday. The laid-back journeyman, previously a runner-up three times on the US circuit, sealed the long-awaited win in bright sunshine with a two-putt birdie on the second extra hole at the TPC Louisiana, the par-five 18th. Els, seeking his first PGA Tour victory since the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational, missed his long-range birdie attempt there from just off the left edge of the green. “It was a tough day,” Dufner, 35, said in a greenside interview after finally triumphing on his 164th PGA Tour start. “Ernie put up a good number today and we were battling it. It was just tough trying to get this first win. It's been tough for about six years out here now, so a little bit of a monkey off my back. I'm excited.” Both players had good birdie chances at the first extra hole, also the 18th, but Dufner missed his attempt there from seven feet and Els from six feet. The duo had finished the regulation 72 holes on 19-under-par 269, Els eagling the seventh on his way to a five-under 67 and Dufner narrowly missing a 10-foot birdie putt at the last to close with a 70. Britain's Luke Donald fired a 67 to finish alone in third at 17-under and regained the world No. 1 spot from Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. Canada's Graham DeLaet (71) and American Ryan Palmer (69) tied for fourth at 16-under, a stroke in front of American world number seven Steve Stricker (70). Masters champion Bubba Watson, who won last year's New Orleans Classic in a playoff, ended his title defence at the TPC Louisiana with a 70 to share 18th place at 11-under. Lewis holds off Thompson In Mobile, Alabama, Stacy Lewis won the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic Sunday for her second LPGA Tour title, holding off teenager Lexi Thompson by a stroke. Lewis, who held a five-stroke lead early in the day, reclaimed the edge with a birdie on No. 16, while the 17-year-old Thompson parred the final hole and had to wait. Lewis parred out. Her week was so solid that her finishing 3-undeer 69 was her worst round en route to a 17-under 271 total. The former Arkansas star also won the 2011 Kraft Nabisco Championship. Thompson found redemption from her final-round fall in Mobile a year ago, from a first-place tie to 19th with a closing 78. She didn't flinch under the pressure given a second shot, closing with rounds of 66 and 65, tying her career low.
