HP Byron Nelson 2012: Jason Dufner A Lock For Tournament Championship

J.J. Henry, Dicky Pride and Marc Leishman have been impressive throughout the 2012 HP Byron Nelson championship, but it is Jason Dufner who appears to be the clear favorite to win the tournament.

Currently, Henry, Dufner and Leishman sit atop the leaderboard at eight-under par near the midway point of the final round.

Dufner has proven he has what it takes to take home the title in this hard-fought tourney. He has had some of the most effective play on the back nine and had a brilliant showing in the second round.

In the second round, his score of 66 was the best of any golfer currently in the top-20. American talent Chad Campbell also managed to post a 66 in the round, but he has now dropped to No. 24 on the leaderboard with a score of 73 in Round 3.

It is also interesting to see just how well Dufner has performed in the back nine throughout this tournament.

He has shown a steady improvement on the back nine, and finishing strong is the recipe to success for any contender heading into the final round.

After an even score through the final nine holes in Round 1, Dufner went on to improve that to one-under par in Round 2 and three-under par in Round 3. Now at nine-under par and tied for the lead heading into the back nine, Dufner is poised to win.

Following up an eighth-place finish in 2011, Dufner knows he is more than capable of competing at this course. Expect strong play in the final nine holes to be what ultimately propels Dufner to victory in the end.