Duval Set for Dramatic Weekend
by ChicagoDuffer on Nov 9, 2009 2:01 PM EST
6 comments
Even in the wake of what turned out to be a big win for Phil Mickelson and a disappointing showing by Tiger Woods, the PGA Tour is already preparing for what will be a overly dramatic weekend at the Children's Miracle Network Classic in Walt Disney this Thursday.
As Steve Trivett, a sportswriter for the Daily Sun, writes in his Florida-based publication, David Duval is in the hot seat:
Duval surrendered the No. 1 ranking back to Woods on Aug. 9, 1999, and all of a sudden his game started to go away.
It’s stayed away.
Today, Duval is 176th in the world golf rankings.
More important, he’s 125th on the PGA Tour money list — and only the top 125 gain fully exempt status for next year.
So if you happen to show up at this week’s Children’s Miracle Network Classic that is being played at Walt Disney World you’ll run into Duval (2009).
Furthermore, names like Jeff Maggert, Tim Heron, and Rich Beem are also playing for spots on the Tour next season this weekend. So while the bigger names of Woods, Mickelson, and Els were playing for a little icing on the cake in Shanghai, there are quite a few has-beens playing for the life of his respective career.
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Double D may be “set” for a dramatic weekend, but you can bet he would prefer to play well and take the drama out of it.
By the way, I wish he would get Oakley to sign him for his hat so he could finally take those ridiculous sunglasses off during an interview. A teenager might get away with it – but now it looks silly.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Nov 10, 2009 10:17 AM EST reply actions 0 recs
Agreed. Duval is starting to look like the Chuck Amato of golf.
by Old Man Par on Nov 10, 2009 11:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Why would Oakley pay him? He never plays on the weekends...
He’s missed nearly 90 cuts in the last 120 tournaments he has played spanning the last seven seasons.
I would feel bad for him, but he had it all and decided it wasn’t that important to him and wasn’t what he really wanted.
The talent doesn’t go away, but it’s tough to re-create the burning desire that it takes to stay at (or near) the top.
He’s had one top 10 (this year’s US Open) in 7 years and I think a trip back through Q School might be what he needs (though probably not). After 76 today, it looks like that’s where he is headed.
by MattSpence on Nov 12, 2009 3:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs
Why pay him ? Because he’s David Duval and he’s still a name. Maybe he’s still under contract from year’s past.
Are you SURE talent doesn’t just disappear ? Ian Baker Finch might argue with you on that. So would Steve Sax and Rick Ankiel. I don’t know if his reasons for stepping out of the game are as simple as you say – they could be – but Duval isn’t a simple man.
He has more options that Q-school. He can do like Daly and call on sponsors for past champions invites.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Nov 12, 2009 4:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
I don't think talent just goes away...
Duval’s talent may be suppressed because he’s fat again, but at age 38 he shouldn’t be so far gone physically that he can’t make cuts or earn a living. I just think he’s not working all that hard on his game, despite what he says.
IBF, Steve Sax and Rick Ankiel are classic headcases. Their talent never went away, their minds just prevented them from using it. Sax got it back and Ankiel bounced back as a hitter. IBF wasn’t completely pitiful in Texas this year for a guy that hasn’t been in competition for over a decade and is nearing 50 years old.
Not one of those guys was ever #1 in the world, either. Duval has incredible talent, he’s either not working hard enough or he’s a head case.
by MattSpence on Nov 13, 2009 1:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
Ankiel was a top level pitcher – working on a 20 game season – all of a sudden, he couldn’t hit the ocean from a row boat. It was amazing that he had absolutely no control. Steve Sax couldn’t make a throw from second to first for almost 3 years.
Duval started his career overweight. He didn’t “get in shape” until he started winning. Think about the picture of him holing the putt to shoot 59 – that was not a “physical specimin”. After that, he started having his back problems.
So you’re willing to go easy on Baker-Finch after 10+ years of not being able to get his game together – but Duval is in the trash heap after just a few years of rough play ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
by courtgolf on Nov 13, 2009 2:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs
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