Former Auburn All-American Jason Dufner earned his second PGA Tour top-three of the season and the third of his career Sunday, tying for third at 13-under at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Dufner was tied for fourth following the opening two rounds in New Orleans, but an even-par third round round saw him slip 12 spots into 16th.  A blemish free Sunday scorecard that counted six birdies quickly moved him up the leaderboard and back into the top five, a position he did not relinquish. 

“I just wanted to get a low score on the board today,“ said Dufner.  “I’ve been playing well the last two weeks and tried to put some heat on the leaders.“

Dufner held the clubhouse lead after scrambling for birdie out the front left bunker on No. 18, but was edged out by two strokes as Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson entered a sudden-death playoff at 15-under.  Watson won the two-hole playoff.

“On the third hole, I made a 35-footer for birdie that started things going for me,“ said Dufner.  “No. 18 has given me problems over the years.  I may have bogeyed it once or twice on Sundays.  It was nice to close out with a birdie for sure.“

Dufner started the day with birdies on 2, 3, and 4 to jump into a tie for fourth and maintained a top-five spot for the majority of the day.  Closing out the round with birdies on 9, 14 and 18, he carded his 20th round in the 60s this year.

The finish was his 12th career top-10 on the Tour and his 27th top-25.  The class of 2000 graduate was 6-under on Sunday, jumping 13 spots and taking home $332,800 in earnings.

On the season, Dufner has accumulated over $1.2 million, his most since taking home over $2 million in 2009. He has already surpassed his 2010 earnings through just 10 events in 2011.

On the Nationwide Tour, former Tiger Gary Christian tied for 32nd, shooting 3-under at the South Georgia Classic in Valdosta, Ga.  Christian recently tied for 19th at the Fresh Express Classic held at TPC Stonebrae.

Patton Kizzire and Reid Edstrom battled it out in a five-way Sunday playoff on the Hooters Tour after the pair wrapped up regulation play at the Savannah Lakes Village Classic at 18-under par.  Phillip Pettitt, Jr., won the event on the second, sudden-death playoff hole.