PGA Championship 2012: Jason Dufner Hoping To Break Through With 1st Major Title

Believe it or not, only four players in the entire field at the 2012 PGA Championship this week were given better odds to win than Cleveland native Jason Dufner.

And yet, when stacked up alongside elite players like Tiger Woods, Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy, Dufner's name, and more importantly his game, often gets overlooked by the masses. According to The Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee on Tuesday's Live From The PGA Championship broadcast though, Dufner's time as a largely uncelebrated golfer may very well come to an end this week at Kiawah Island:

"It doesn't matter which factor you're trying to consider to find a favorite in this golf tournament, almost every single road leads to Jason Dufner. Are you looking for a player who can win on a Pete Dye golf course? He's won in New Orleans.

If you're looking for current form, his last 7 events, he's got two wins, two second-place finishes, a fourth, and was 7th last week. If you're looking for good all-around game, there's only one player in the world that's better than him at the moment in the all-around statistics, Keegan Bradley. Honest to goodness, I just don't know how you could find a better pick than Jason Dufner."

A knowledgeable golf mind, Chamblee knows as well as anyone that Dufner has the game to absolutely compete with the biggest names in the sport at virtually any layout. Although he doesn't quite have the type of major experience that some of his peers bring to the table, there's no question that Dufner has been one of the most consistent golfers in the world in 2012. Capping off his breakout season with a major championship? Bittersweet, indeed.

Stay right here with this StoryStream for more 2012 PGA Championship coverage. Also be sure to visit SB Nation's golf hub for more news and analysis throughout the tournament.