David Duval - 2009

[InspiredGolf]

I watched him on the range for 30 minutes and walked all 18 holes with him today. He hit it incredible on the range. Didn't miss a shot. He hit twenty 3 woods off the deck and they were identical and they landed within 15 feet of one another right at the base of a tree at the end of the range.

 

The first five holes were shakey and was +2, then he settled in and shot -3 to the house. His coach Puggy Blackmon was there all the way.

 

He is hitting it very well and he looks like he is really trying / wanting to play better. He got pissed during the first 5 holes because he missed a couple of short putts and he played beautifully the rest of the day.

[GolfHound]

I watched him on the range for 30 minutes and walked all 18 holes with him today. He hit it incredible on the range. Didn't miss a shot. He hit twenty 3 woods off the deck and they were identical and they landed within 15 feet of one another right at the base of a tree at the end of the range.

 

The first five holes were shakey and was +2, then he settled in and shot -3 to the house. His coach Puggy Blackmon was there all the way.

 

He is hitting it very well and he looks like he is really trying / wanting to play better. He got pissed during the first 5 holes because he missed a couple of short putts and he played beautifully the rest of the day.

 

Great update! Keep us posted if you follow him around again for the rest of the tourney.

 

I've always been a fan of DD! Great ballstriker and great personality. Hope he does well this week...a top 10 maybe (crossing my fingers and toes)

[norge5]

I'm pulling for him. I would love for him to go back to the days of the quiet confidence, the almost apologetic wave to the fans, and the big dip in his lip.

I remember when he faded(or just flat out disappeared), the commentators always referred to personal "issues" he was battling. Does anybody have a handle on what was wrong? Girl trouble? Substance abuse( I would doubt it), or what? The commentators always treated it as if it was some tour secret. Just curious if anybody ever heard if there was any particular tragic event or otherwise that sent him reeling.

[KMeloney]

Don't look now, but he's right in the mix as of the 10th hole in his second round at Riviera...

[Tmiller72]

2 cuts in a row is better than missing cuts. It's a move in the right direction.

[DavePelz4]

He's clearly starting to regain a passion for the game along with the confidence to hit each shot. I'll go out on a limb and predict DD will compete in a major or two this year as well as win an event.

[kharmon]

I'm pulling for him. I would love for him to go back to the days of the quiet confidence, the almost apologetic wave to the fans, and the big dip in his lip.

I remember when he faded(or just flat out disappeared), the commentators always referred to personal "issues" he was battling. Does anybody have a handle on what was wrong? Girl trouble? Substance abuse( I would doubt it), or what? The commentators always treated it as if it was some tour secret. Just curious if anybody ever heard if there was any particular tragic event or otherwise that sent him reeling.

 

Near 2002-2003, his then fiancee', Julie McArthur, was rummored to have cheated on him, then they split. Although he has never confirmed this story, nor has anyone else. Plus he suffered numerous injuries and his swing changed to compensate for them, lost confidence, and the rest is history.

 

DD is in a much better place now. He is so happy with Susie and loves his new family very much.

 

It really appears he is well on his way to a top 125 finish this year, I am hopeful for a top 30 at year end though!

[Swingtheclub]

Personally if I saw Duval playing 30 to 35 tournaments trying to find his game instead of 20 like a superstar I would be so much more impressed

 

The truth is I do not think Duval cares and he plays just enought to keep the endorsement money coming in.

 

Well it looks like we only have one more year to put up with it.

[Jer-Jer]

He's -3 total is T36 right now. 2 good rounds and a top 10!!! I'm always pulling for double D.

[Dill Pickleson]

He's -3 total is T36 right now. 2 good rounds and a top 10!!! I'm always pulling for double D.

 

 

i'd love to see him get a good finnish this week

[steverum]

He made the cut this week. A long road back to the top, especially when people are excited when he makes the cut

[Tmiller72]

Personally if I saw Duval playing 30 to 35 tournaments trying to find his game instead of 20 like a superstar I would be so much more impressed

 

The truth is I do not think Duval cares and he plays just enought to keep the endorsement money coming in.

 

Well it looks like we only have one more year to put up with it.

 

That's ridiculous! If you knew anything about Duval and his injuries (mainly the back) you would know he couldn't play that many and stay healthy. He also has a bunch of kids now including a baby (2 yr old) with a wife that had an extremely difficult pregnacy. He quit playing 2 years ago to be with her. He's stated that his family is number one to golf and he wants to help raise the family. Hardly a superstar move.

[stp]

As long as Duval makes his base in mile high Denver, he will never yes never be competitive again. Practice at that altitude prepares you for maybe one tournament, the Reno/tahoe. The effects of sidespin are greatly reduced at altitude. So much so that swing flaws at high altitude will produce a slight draw or fade but at lower altitudes, i.e. most every tournament, those same shots turn into slices and hooks, not to mention yardages being totally out of whack.

[3whacker]

I'm pulling for him. I would love for him to go back to the days of the quiet confidence, the almost apologetic wave to the fans, and the big dip in his lip.

I remember when he faded(or just flat out disappeared), the commentators always referred to personal "issues" he was battling. Does anybody have a handle on what was wrong? Girl trouble? Substance abuse( I would doubt it), or what? The commentators always treated it as if it was some tour secret. Just curious if anybody ever heard if there was any particular tragic event or otherwise that sent him reeling.

 

Near 2002-2003, his then fiancee', Julie McArthur, was rummored to have cheated on him, then they split. Although he has never confirmed this story, nor has anyone else. Plus he suffered numerous injuries and his swing changed to compensate for them, lost confidence, and the rest is history.

 

DD is in a much better place now. He is so happy with Susie and loves his new family very much.

 

It really appears he is well on his way to a top 125 finish this year, I am hopeful for a top 30 at year end though!

 

 

the fact that you brought that up is in bad taste,especially if its a rumor,just because he is in the public eye his personal life and the details of such should NEVER be brought out with such recklessness in a public forum like this. the reason They always dance around this subject is because there is kind of an unwritten code (with John Daly being the exception) that a man's personal life i.e. marriage, fiancee,girlfriend are generally considered off limits

[Jer-Jer]

I'm pulling for him. I would love for him to go back to the days of the quiet confidence, the almost apologetic wave to the fans, and the big dip in his lip.

I remember when he faded(or just flat out disappeared), the commentators always referred to personal "issues" he was battling. Does anybody have a handle on what was wrong? Girl trouble? Substance abuse( I would doubt it), or what? The commentators always treated it as if it was some tour secret. Just curious if anybody ever heard if there was any particular tragic event or otherwise that sent him reeling.

 

Near 2002-2003, his then fiancee', Julie McArthur, was rummored to have cheated on him, then they split. Although he has never confirmed this story, nor has anyone else. Plus he suffered numerous injuries and his swing changed to compensate for them, lost confidence, and the rest is history.

 

DD is in a much better place now. He is so happy with Susie and loves his new family very much.

 

It really appears he is well on his way to a top 125 finish this year, I am hopeful for a top 30 at year end though!

 

 

the fact that you brought that up is in bad taste,especially if its a rumor,just because he is in the public eye his personal life and the details of such should NEVER be brought out with such recklessness in a public forum like this. the reason They always dance around this subject is because there is kind of an unwritten code (with John Daly being the exception) that a man's personal life i.e. marriage, fiancee,girlfriend are generally considered off limits

 

I don't see the problem.

[KMeloney]

the fact that you brought that up is in bad taste,especially if its a rumor,just because he is in the public eye his personal life and the details of such should NEVER be brought out with such recklessness in a public forum like this. the reason They always dance around this subject is because there is kind of an unwritten code (with John Daly being the exception) that a man's personal life i.e. marriage, fiancee,girlfriend are generally considered off limits

 

As I recall, this was well documented, and was part of the story GD did on Duval a couple years ago (the story included an interview, so it wasn't exactly conjecture). Someone asked what led to his downfall, and this was a big part of it. So, take it easy.

[BCULAW]

I will be pulling for him hard as always! I can understand why people think he's washed up but what I admire most is his "hogan like" demeanor on the course. Hopefully he can somehow fight these inner demons and get his confidence back. That 59 he shot was sick, prob one of the best rounds ever even though it was on a pitch and putt.

 

Great avatar! I should know. . . I took that picture! It was at the 2005 Masters - Wednesday morning practice round, 11th tee. DD was playing with DLIII, Justin Leonard and Lucas Glover, hit driver down the middle, long iron to 12 feet, birdie. davidduval.org was soliciting fan pictures a while back, so I sent it in. I assume that is where you got it.

[El Crab]

What does it say about the state of professional golf when David Duval is STILL a hot topic?

 

It says that Duval is still a popular player, and has many fans who want him to succeed.

 

He has gone through a rather daunting list of issues after finally winning a major, including golf-destroying injuries like vertigo and a bad back. And when he was ready to try it all again, his wife had an extremely difficult pregnancy and he should be commended for choosing to postpone his comeback to be with her.

 

He also admits that after winning the British, he wasn't sure what to expect. But that he woke up and nothing had changed for him. He'd already been number one, and now he had a major. But he didn't feel any different. He's not like Tiger, which is what appeals to some people. I've been a fan ever since he broke through. He was talked about as the best player to not have won a PGA Tour event, and when he did finally break through, he did so in style. Won three events in a row.

 

And he was the best player in the world at one point. And is still the only player to shoot 59 in a final round, let alone to win an event.

 

It amuses me to read the hate for Duval, because its all the same. That he's just out there for the endorsements. I'm pretty certain if NIKE didn't want to pay him, they could have severed the ties. They chose to honour the commitment to Duval, and why do people think he's only out there to collect the checks from NIKE? Do you really think he needs the money? I'm sure he has plenty in the bank already. And he's a family man, so 30-35 events is not for him. Plenty of players are picky in selecting events, for the same reason. And there's something to be said about the wear-and-tear of playing so many events. Is it beneficial to play that many?

 

If he didn't think he could play well, he wouldn't be out there. He doesn't need golf. And for a time, he couldn't or didn't want to play. Now he wants to.

 

I wish him nothing but the best, and it seems like he's finally got the injuries behind him and the family life in order. And he's shown flashes of getting it back, including at last year's Open.

[DavePelz4]

You have to respect that David was ranked #1 in the world and Tiger was on tour at that juncture. Mickelson, Garcia, Els, Harrington and many others have not achieved that distinction. In the final round of a tournament, David shot a 59 to win, which has never been done before.

 

Clearly, there is no question on his potential. David has faced a lot of challenges in life and his priorities changed from golf to being a Dad and Husband. Any of us would trade places with David, his record and his ball striking abilities.

 

All the positive posts show that people are genuinely interested in seeing David resume performing at his peak and create another challenger for Tiger.

 

Personally, I just enjoying seeing professionals as well as my friends playing up to their potential.

[jshiver15]

Not to mention his issues with vertigo. Some people feel symptoms of it for years, even if mild. And we know that golf is such a sensitive game that demands the utmost concentration (and at times, the planets to align).

 

I think DD will find that spark again. I'm not counting him out, yet.

[Tmiller72]

I think he goes low tomorrow. 66 or better.

[kharmon]

What does it say about the state of professional golf when David Duval is STILL a hot topic?

 

It says that Duval is still a popular player, and has many fans who want him to succeed.

 

He has gone through a rather daunting list of issues after finally winning a major, including golf-destroying injuries like vertigo and a bad back. And when he was ready to try it all again, his wife had an extremely difficult pregnancy and he should be commended for choosing to postpone his comeback to be with her.

 

He also admits that after winning the British, he wasn't sure what to expect. But that he woke up and nothing had changed for him. He'd already been number one, and now he had a major. But he didn't feel any different. He's not like Tiger, which is what appeals to some people. I've been a fan ever since he broke through. He was talked about as the best player to not have won a PGA Tour event, and when he did finally break through, he did so in style. Won three events in a row.

 

And he was the best player in the world at one point. And is still the only player to shoot 59 in a final round, let alone to win an event.

 

It amuses me to read the hate for Duval, because its all the same. That he's just out there for the endorsements. I'm pretty certain if NIKE didn't want to pay him, they could have severed the ties. They chose to honour the commitment to Duval, and why do people think he's only out there to collect the checks from NIKE? Do you really think he needs the money? I'm sure he has plenty in the bank already. And he's a family man, so 30-35 events is not for him. Plenty of players are picky in selecting events, for the same reason. And there's something to be said about the wear-and-tear of playing so many events. Is it beneficial to play that many?

 

If he didn't think he could play well, he wouldn't be out there. He doesn't need golf. And for a time, he couldn't or didn't want to play. Now he wants to.

 

I wish him nothing but the best, and it seems like he's finally got the injuries behind him and the family life in order. And he's shown flashes of getting it back, including at last year's Open.

 

Best post to date, agree 100%. Thank you!

 

Now, if DD could eliminate the left side of the course off the tee, he will begin to be a quality player again. He is still hitting way too many tee shots to the left (in tournament play) rough or worse. While he has perfect practice sessions and pre-tournament warm-ups, he still has trouble bringing his "A game" to the course in a tournament. Still a work in progress, but showing signs of recovery... Hopefully, he will have a good Florida swing in March and continue to grow his confidence. Looking forward to seeing him at The Memorial in the Spring.

[Tmiller72]

I think he goes low tomorrow. 66 or better.

 

Prediction Fail!

[shyu0622]

I watched DD practice on the range on Thursday at the NTO this past week. I'm in agreement with one of the previous posters; he didn't miss a shot on the range, but when he took it to the course, well, he obviously didn't end up winning the NTO.

 

If he were to get back in shape and really devote himself to the game again, I think he's got a good shot at coming back. Maybe he ought to get himself in touch with Andre Agassi so that he'll be able to pick up what it takes to regain the #1 standing from a#144 (Agassi's lowest rank - I believe).

 

I'm really rooting for the guy, but to be really honest with you, I'm more interested in watching the young guns like AK and Camilo climb the ranks and eventually go toe to toe with Tiger.

[ragu421]

Id be willing to bet if he put his old Titleist clubs in the bag,he'd be back.You dont shoot 59 in the final round to win and then forget how to play.Phil Knight started waving all that money in front of him and he switched clubs.Coincidently,thats about the same time his game went south. I think now that Nike is making a better product,he can potentially be back to form.His priorities changed after he won the open.Yeah,he won with Nike sticks but he staggered in.Same with Phil.He played his BEST golf when he was with Titleist.Hitting the hospitality tent on the 18 hole of the US Open was hideous. I play a Callaway driver because I tend to cut my 905R a little more than Id like.The FT-5 is a perfect fit for me but Phil isnt a 7 hdcp either.

[SDGolfing]

Id be willing to bet if he put his old Titleist clubs in the bag,he'd be back.You dont shoot 59 in the final round to win and then forget how to play.Phil Knight started waving all that money in front of him and he switched clubs.Coincidently,thats about the same time his game went south. I think now that Nike is making a better product,he can potentially be back to form.His priorities changed after he won the open.Yeah,he won with Nike sticks but he staggered in.Same with Phil.He played his BEST golf when he was with Titleist.Hitting the hospitality tent on the 18 hole of the US Open was hideous. I play a Callaway driver because I tend to cut my 905R a little more than Id like.The FT-5 is a perfect fit for me but Phil isnt a 7 hdcp either.

 

Yeah you are right. It is the clubs.

[KMeloney]

Id be willing to bet if he put his old Titleist clubs in the bag,he'd be back.You dont shoot 59 in the final round to win and then forget how to play.Phil Knight started waving all that money in front of him and he switched clubs.Coincidently,thats about the same time his game went south. I think now that Nike is making a better product,he can potentially be back to form.His priorities changed after he won the open.Yeah,he won with Nike sticks but he staggered in.Same with Phil.He played his BEST golf when he was with Titleist.Hitting the hospitality tent on the 18 hole of the US Open was hideous. I play a Callaway driver because I tend to cut my 905R a little more than Id like.The FT-5 is a perfect fit for me but Phil isnt a 7 hdcp either.

 

Yeah -- That's why Tiger has really started playing poorly with his Nike equipment... :rolleyes:

[Swingtheclub]

read this this morning thought I would share

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug...o&type=lgns

 

same old story different day

 

Swing

[rblmp32]

If he were to get back in shape and really devote himself to the game again, I think he's got a good shot at coming back. Maybe he ought to get himself in touch with Andre Agassi so that he'll be able to pick up what it takes to regain the #1 standing from a#144 (Agassi's lowest rank - I believe).

 

He played his best golf when he wasn't in shape. The 59 and #1 ranking came when he was in the same sort of shape he's in now.

[DemolitionMan]

read this this morning thought I would share

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug...o&type=lgns

 

same old story different day

 

Swing

 

I read that few days ago and I have to admit, about 2% of me was sucked in to believe that yes, DD is 'getting close'. I was ready to throw him under the bus for his stellar performance this week, 82-75 on a par 70, but I'll give him a pass given the course is really difficult. If you are off just a "little" (relative Duval term) at PGA National, then you can easily go north of 80.

 

I still give it about a 2% chance he will regain form. I just wish the gratuitous comeback stories about DD would be placed on a moratorium until he actually makes a comeback. Until I see DD contending on the back 9 on Sunday, and I mean really contending as in leading, or at most two shots back, not 5 back....until, don't bother me with the DD stories. There are just too many other good stories on the PGA Tour that are not getting reported.

 

Anyone see the Notah Begay segment on TGC "This week on the PGA"? Now that's a comeback.