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Duval far from former form after August injury
Las Vegas, Oct 10: Former world No. 1 David Duval is playing his first tournament since injuring his back in August. Unfortunately, Duval`s game is still nowhere near what it was just two years ago when he won the British Open.
Las Vegas, Oct 10: Former world No. 1 David Duval is playing his first tournament since injuring his back in August. Unfortunately, Duval's game is still nowhere near what it was just two years ago when he won the British Open.
In 19 tournaments prior to this week, Duval has made just four cuts. His best finish is a tie for 28th in the FBR Capital Open. After opening the Las Vegas Invitational with a 4-over-par 75 at the TPC at The Canyons, Duval followed with a 4-over 76 at the TPC at Summerlin.
It's not that Duval plays poorly hole after hole, but that his shots suddenly tend to go astray. On Thursday, he hit just three fairways after hitting five on Wednesday. Duval needed 34 putts Wednesday, but only 26 Thursday. He hit 13 greens in the opening round, then could manage only eight in the second.
Still, after playing the back nine with four bogeys and a double bogey, Duval made seven pars and two birdies on the front nine coming home.
Scott Verplank, tied for the lead with Steve Flesch, said he can understand what Duval must be enduring, having gone 12 years between his second and third PGA Tour victories.
"Life throws you some curveballs," Verplank said. "You have to fight through the bottom of it. I've played at least as bad as he is now, probably worse. I know what he's going through."
Bureau Report
In 19 tournaments prior to this week, Duval has made just four cuts. His best finish is a tie for 28th in the FBR Capital Open. After opening the Las Vegas Invitational with a 4-over-par 75 at the TPC at The Canyons, Duval followed with a 4-over 76 at the TPC at Summerlin.
It's not that Duval plays poorly hole after hole, but that his shots suddenly tend to go astray. On Thursday, he hit just three fairways after hitting five on Wednesday. Duval needed 34 putts Wednesday, but only 26 Thursday. He hit 13 greens in the opening round, then could manage only eight in the second.
Still, after playing the back nine with four bogeys and a double bogey, Duval made seven pars and two birdies on the front nine coming home.
Scott Verplank, tied for the lead with Steve Flesch, said he can understand what Duval must be enduring, having gone 12 years between his second and third PGA Tour victories.
"Life throws you some curveballs," Verplank said. "You have to fight through the bottom of it. I've played at least as bad as he is now, probably worse. I know what he's going through."
Bureau Report