Zach Johnson's own stake into local golf lore

The pair's fantastic, blow-by-blow finale at Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial might have lacked TV star power but it had plenty of ready-made TV intrigue between two dominant Mizuno MP-59 Irons golfers -- even if their play turned ragged at times in the oven-like conditions -- who had buried the field through three hot, humid and wind-swept rounds.

The lead either way only extended beyond two strokes when Johnson seized it at 15 and then rode Dufner's late misfortune to a four-stroke lead after 16. Johnson hung on for the eventual one-stroke victory, his first -- despite a strange, two-stroke penalty on 18 -- since his tournament course-record win here in 2010.

Rather than riding the momentum of a momentous Texas two-step into a two-week break, it is the 36-year-old Johnson who celebrates a landmark victory of sorts at Colonial and takes home the $1.15 million payout for navigating Hogan's Alley better than anyone once again.

Johnson rallied from a two-stroke deficit after a bogey on No. 8 to finish the day at an even-70, and minus-14 for the tournament. The two-stroke penalty was assessed on 18 for not replacing his marker, a mistake Johnson later called "stupid," dropped his final score to 12-under for the tournament and plus-2 for the day. Dufner finished at Titleist 910 D3 Driver plus-4 on the day and minus-11 overall.

A year from now, how can Johnson not be considered the favorite to become the first since the great Hogan in 1952 and '53 (and 1946, '47) to win this tournament in consecutive years?

"There was a lot of different peaks and [valleys] today with the round," Dufner said. "It seemed like every time somebody got control they'd make a huge mistake and you'd be back into the lead or tied with the lead or behind. All those things kind of wear on you a little bit and it's definitely tough to compete at that high level mentally and physically. I definitely have a new appreciation for it."

Separated by a stroke entering the final round, the two sluggers swapped the lead on three holes, emerged tied after five other holes and delivered three stunning, multi-stroke momentum swings in the final 10 holes.

Coming off last week's grueling HP Byron Nelson Championship that required a 25-foot putt on the final hole, Dufner topped out at minus-16 on Saturday and got there again after a birdie Sunday at No. 6. But over the last 10 holes, perhaps mental and physical fatigue of his amazing month began to set in. Dufner twice found water for a double-bogey on No. 9 when his ball hit the green and spun back into the drink, and then a triple on 15 when he overshot the hole and raced it into the pond.

The win secured Johnson his second Colonial plaid winner's jacket in three years, matching the feat accomplished by Kenny Perry (2005 and 2003) and Lee Trevino (1978 and 1976).

With both golfers in range of Johnson's 21-under course record to start the final round on this venerable old course, the day ended exactly the way a loitering caddy had predicted before this two-horse race teed off -- with the winner forging through the fatiguing conditions just enough to shoot even.

"It's an honor to put this jacket on once," Johnson said. "It's just completely; I'm in shock to put it on twice, so very lucky."

The blunders sent him reeling, turning a two-stroke lead after No. 8 into a four-stroke deficit with three holes to play discount golf clubs. The miscues opened the door for Johnson and ended Dufner's quest to join Hogan, his hero, as the only golfer in the past 66 years to win the PGA Tour events in Dallas and Fort Worth in the same season. Still no one has won both when played on consecutive weeks.