(Honeyfield/Flickr)
PEOPLE WONDER what happened to David Duval, who once held the world No. 1 ranking for 15 weeks. I know they wonder because their searches bring them to this blog for any Duval scraps they can find.
That was especially true this past week since Duval teed it up at the Wachovia Championship. I think many were curious to see how he’d do. Not well. He missed the cut with rounds of 79-73.
Langston Wertz Jr. of The Charlotte Observer reported the following:
“Friday in the second round of the Wachovia Championship, Duval showed flashes of the game he thought he had.
“After shooting a miserable 7-over 79 Thursday, Duval rolled through the back nine with a hot putter on Friday.
“Starting his round on the 10th tee, he birdied four of his first six holes and looked much like the guy who was once at the top of the golf world, making magazine covers and looking at Tiger Woods in his rear-view mirror.
“Duval strutted to the 18th green, the final hole on his front side, his familiar wrap-around shades poking from underneath a white cap. Duval slid a birdie putt past the hole but had gotten to 4-under for the day when he stepped onto the tee box at No. 3, his 12th hole of the day.
“It unraveled from there.”
I think it’s pretty clear that David’s golf game has hit rock bottom. The numbers tell the story. Duval has played in eight events this season and made no cuts. (He withdrew from the Northern Trust Open.) His 2008 earnings are a goose egg and he’s plummeted to No. 906 in the world rankings.
The former world No. 1 player who aspired to make the 2008 Ryder Cup team now must simply try to make a cut. He’s expected to play in the AT&T Classic in two weeks.
−The Armchair Golfer
DUVAL UPDATE:
2009 U.S. Open wrap-up: Glover won the trophy, Phil won the hearts and Duval won respect.
What a sad story. It’s nearly inconceivable to me that a player can literally go from the top of the world to where he’s at now.
Whatever the cause, I hope he’s at least at peace with the situation and enjoying himself. I also hope somehow he finds the desire and drive and can get it all back on track.
I can’t help but wonder how much longer he can ride the various exemptions that get him into the fields in these events.
Not much longer on the exemptions. A race with Daly in that regard.
Duval’s solemn personality and the ever present shades don’t let many people into his world. I wish him the best because I enjoyed watching him at his peak. My money would be on the mental side of the game, or like you desire and concentration.
duvall shot a +3 round today in the british open. leaving him 4 off the lead. phil mickelson shot +9 and vj singh shot +10. The guy has great guts to keep going and hopfully will return to the top where he belongs
He needs to reduce his weight by about 40 or 50 pounds. He looks out of shape. When he won the British open he was slim and strong. He looks fat flabby and out of shape. If he can find the discipline to get back in shape physically, he might do it mentally and really get his game back.