Immelman Defeats Dufner in Final, 3 and 2

SAN DIEGO — Trevor Immelman of South Africa defeated Jason Dufner of Olmsted Falls, Ohio, 3 and 2, in the final round of the 73rd U.S. Amateur Public Links Golf Championship Saturday at Torrey Pines Golf Course, after fog delayed the start of play for more than four hours.

Immelman, 18, led Dufner, 21, by two after the first two holes. Immelman increased his lead to five on the 27th hole and held that lead for three holes before Dufner pulled within three at 31. Dufner tied Immelman on hole 32 and missed a long putt from the edge of the green to tie on hole 33.

This was the sixth final--and only second victory--for Immelman in 15 months, and because of this win, Immelman will be invited to the 1998 U.S. Amateur and the 1999 Masters. Immelman said he will be at Augusta, but an invitation to the European Tour might conflict with the U.S. Amateur.

“This was the best golf I’ve played in my life,” Immelmann said. “I am at a loss for words. I’ve been in four or five finals in the last year and a half, and I have always been one hurdle short.”

This was Immelman’s first time in the tournament, and Dufner’s fourth. Dufner, who will be a senior at Auburn this fall, lost in the first round of match play last year to Torrance’s Robert Sul.

“I struggled with my putts,” Dufner said. “Today was probably my worst day of match play.”