Is Duval going to make it back from 491 to the top 100 this year or will he disappear into the night?

This is his last year with an exemption, after that, Q-school again... and he's a former world number one!!!!

I wanted to place this topic earlier and this weekend he shot a 63. I hope this boosted his confidence and that he will make it back to (at least) the top 5 again!

No doubt he can do it, but will he? What do you think?

Thanks...before I seen that picture I was going to pick up a Grafalloy Blue .350 X for a back-up Ignite. Now...maybe not!

I have been a big fan of David's throughout his career. His ups were great and his downs were horrendous. But my fanaticism has never diminished. It's like being a Leafs fan throughout the 80's. Once a fan always a fan. You don't jump ship because they are not doing well. His 63 was a hopeful sign of things to come. Go get them David Duval. You deserve it.

I would really like to see him in the top 125, because the tour needs him back into the mix.

I hope Sunday's 63 is the beginning of a new beginning for him.

He's got a good history at the Hope so we'll see what happens.

Like many of the posts on this thread, I'm a big Duval fan. He played well aside from his start on Thursday. I think he can make some waves this year and hopefull get in the top 125. Anybody else notice he's packed on some pounds too from his robogolfer days?

I hope he returns back to his old form. The tour needs it. It is painful to watch him slip so far from his former glory.

He is definitely bulking up. For awhile there, he was sickly thin. Rapid weight loss or gain is not good for you

Being a huge Duval fan, i was extremely happy to see him go low. I hope this gives him confidence for future tournaments and that he can have success without injury problems

I too think that Duval CAN get back on the train. He definetly has shown in the past he can get the job done....59 anybody???

But remember this is not the only great round he has shot on his struggles. Last year he mixed in a 61 or 62 (can't remeber where)

But this is is his second touney in a row with a good round (Phoenix in Japan - Top 10 I believe)

He is starting to get back into the same solid shape that he was in when he went on his unbelivable run to # 1

I also would like to see him back in the top 125, but he will only be as good as his back allows him to be. I know what its like to live with back pain and its really day to day.

Granted recent indications are that David Duval is beginning to get his game together. But it's a little premature to say he's starting to get into the same solid shape he was in back in 2001. For one, it's just too early in the season. He needs to put together some more solid efforts, including some top 10's. Two, based on what I've read about Duval I have to wonder if he had the drive or determination needed to be a top tour player. That's not a knock on his talent but, it would seem he wants to live a more balanced life where golf isn't necessarily as important as it was to him back when he was #1.

Golf is no longer his #1 priority. That being said, maybe he won't put so much pressure on himself to succeed. Also he needs to keep his back healthy. His stated he had to manufacture a painless swing his first round at the Sony, then played relatively pain free the remaining 3 rounds. I wish him all the best.

A nice bogey free round for Duval today.

Very promising way for Duval to start off the week and carry the momentum from the 63 last week. The best of luck to him this week

hes at -3 no?

I've heard some other tour players asked if he will be back and they all have the same answers "Oh, he'll be back."

Yes, he can.

DD appears to be steadily improving. It wasn't all that long ago he wasn't even breaking 80! Go DD!

PS: Think my SC DD putter will increase in value f he gets hot again?

It would be great to see him in contention, but the realist in me is hoping for Duval at least keeping his card for '07.


Forgive my ignorance but what began his horrific slide? Injuries? Something else?

Dan-

well if a player can say that when he's on the tee he's thinking of all the other places he'd rather be, what can anyone expect? is he good? i think so.

even par this weekend....3/4 cuts so far...i think he might be getting back into shape...tho with that back i dont know if he can compete with the long hitters like tiger and those new kids. i really miss watching him play, it was always fun...i really hope he has regained his competitive drive that he had when he was #1...like dan, what happened to him...from what i remember he was #1 one day and 491 the next...hope someone can jog our memories a lil bit

DD won the British Open then that year during the off-season he hurt his shoulder and back nowboarding and continued to play with Injury and tweaked his swing to accomdate the pain...
He also stated after winning the british that he thought there was nothing else to accomplish...
Some players do not have the makeup to be #1 and the pressure and responsibilty are too much for most people and they just slip away.
Fred Couples is a guy who was not comfortable with the #1 player pressure and lable.
Duval was another guy who did not like the pressure of #1

VJ & Tiger are guys who love the attention and pressure that is involved, this only feuls them and drivers them to work harder to keep the feeling...

Phil is a guy who does not work hard enough to be #1, let alone keep it because before he won the Masters he was determined to Get in Shape like Tiger and be a more controlled/intelligent course manager. ...After winning the Master(congrats)he became FAT PHIL Again!!!

No disrespect to Phil or anyone else but it probably takes a specific kind of cat to handle and thrive in the TOP SPOT...

JUST MY TAKE ON THINGS...

thanks for the fill in nikeguy

I hear ya Nikeguy! I think you've hit the nail on the head!

I hope DD 'the golfmachine' finds enough inspiration to make it back to the top. Maybe the pressure of keeping his card is inspiring him enough to find love for the game again!

Don't forget that his engagement broke up during this time as well. Of course, he was engaged for something like 8 YEARS!!

you got to root for DoubleD..what an interesting character. i hope he makes a gradual comeback. good luck to him.

I think it was definately started by the engagement break up in late 2000. We all know how break ups can mess us up (emotionally & mentally). In 2001 he switched equipment from Titleist to Nike. During that time he lost all his weight which to me changed how he swung the club. He used to never miss it left off the tee. Even at the British Open that he won he missed it left quite abit. That year he was involved in the lawsuit with Titleist and struggled to make a cut until he almost won the masters (2001). He also switched caddy's that year as well. So through all this he lost his confidence and now he seems to be coming back. I walked with him at Riviera on Thursday when he shot 68 and he played great. He drove with Ernie all day long using a sasquatch driver and he was hitting his fade again. He did miss it left a few times but that was on the front nine which has O.B. on the right side. Obviously I am a big Duval fan as most of you are. Hopefully he will continue his good play this week in Arizona.

Thanks for the update! I have been watching on tourcast and have been both pleased and disappointed with his play, depending on the day. I am anxious to see him at Bay Hill in a couple of weeks. Hopefully he'll have everything in order by then.

i hope he makes it back this year. we tend to not think of the pros getting into "slumps" too much, but we've been able to see first hand that even the best struggle. GOOD LUCK DAVID!!!

mike

I am a big fan of his as well. At the end of the day he has to put in the work, which in the past he has not. I think now that he has a family he will want to show them what he does and what made him one of the best in the world at one time. I think he makes the the top 125 and if he really works he's a top 30 player again. Keep in mind his Nike deal is up after this year as well?

I have not seen one mention of his fight with virdigo. I would think that if your inner ear is causing you to be dizzy hitting a golf ball would be kind of hard.

He slowly but steadily climbed the charts in the last 1,5 month. Since the beginning of this topic he climbed 74 places too number 417 on the world ranking right now! If he keeps climbing in this tempo he wil be number 100 at the end of the year ... Let's hope so!