It's great to see Duval playing decent! I am very happy for him, hope he plays well over the weekend,,,maybe he will be a big contender.

I hope it continues.
He seems to be avoiding the big numbers and recovering when he makes a mistake.
I hope the nerves don't get the best of him as it has been a while since he has been
this close to the lead going into the weekend.

Decent? You're kidding right? He's playing out of his mind, at least from the way he has played so far this year. I really hope he can keep it up. On the first day of coverage I thought I heard one of the commentators say they had spoken with him and he said he was closer to winning than making the cut. Not sure what that means but maybe I miss heard. GO DUVAL!!!!

duval was my favorite player back in the day and i would love more than anything to see him do well. but it's not gonna happen. every now and then he'll shoot a decent number and people get all excited and what not. sadly, tomorrow's round will show his true colors and he'll end up w/ a 82. you know......golf is hard. and once you lose it, it's gone. nobody's in the history of golf has come back from something like this.

Three words: Ben Freakin Hogan.

That aside, if anyone can do it, duval would be at the top of my list. Golf is hard, but Duval is a hard man. Will he do it? who knows. Is he capable? I think he's one of the few who has the charachter and the inner steel to make it happen.

Daly, IBF, and a handfull of others will never regain form. Duval at least has a chance.

Despite the last post saying he will fail tomorrow and disappear, i like the story about duval making a come back at one of the last places he did well at (the open) before he dropped off the face of the earth. Nobody that was number one in the world at one point, even over tiger, should be thought of as a lost cause. Despite his mental, physical and vertigo problems, to say nobody in history can come back,,,,,the guy was number 1 in the world, that game is in side of him somewhere.

I actually think the idea of the guy "not coming back from where he's gone" makes less sense, than a world number 1 coming back. He had the game, he in practice rounds has the shots, its all just mental. I really hope he does well, whether he wins or not, a nice high up finish in the top 10 in a major just might bring him back from the dark abyss.

So glad that one of my favorites is having a great tournament!!

Go DD.....the "real" DD!

Great to see him doing well again, also good to see him eating again. This guy shot 59 !! he can revive himself.

It's great to see Duval back...He is still one of the best in game!

But to all the people who say/said he's washed up, doesn't have the game anymore, can't shoot low, etc...

Let's see YOU beat him

<insert silence here>

That's what I friggin thought!

GO 59 BABEEEEEE!!!

It's good to see DD back again. Hopefully he makes it in the top 10 at least.

this is always the lamest argument i see on the golf boards. no body here said that they can play better than duval. these guys are professional golfers, it goes without saying that everyone on tour is better than anyone on this board. whatever it is that you do for a living, i'm sure you do it better than i can. or better than duval can for that matter.

i didn't know ben hogan came back from losing how to play mentally. i always thought it was the massive car accident where he almost died.

I've never really cared for DD. So far, I've seriously doubted that he would ever have a really good showing-not that he's not able to. I wasn't sure if he was mentally and physically ready. His physique may not be the best, but his mind is looking pretty good. He has a lot of good experiences to recall to help him have a positive outlook. He also seems to be ready to focus on what he wants...

No one has ever came back.......How about Lee Westwood, 5 years ago he was on the verge of retiring, completely lost his motivation after his wife had their first child, he sank to something like 400th in the world, but he came back and nearly won a US Open last month. Whatever is lost can be found, Westwood has shown that.

Good Luck David.

This is a great story and one I hope continues. David Duval was fantastic when he was playing well it would be great to see him get back to that kind of play. He was one of the few in that age group that wanted to go head to head with Tiger. If he does finish well and gets back on track this year 2009 could be fun to watch.

Mr. Hogan did not have psysiological issues just an injury. I thing when you go this long and can't get it done it begins to effect you mentaly.

Re: the shark and Duval near the top at the open: not long ago I made a post about Mr. Hogan being the greatest golfer of all time, and some young vipper snapper jumped all over me. Well all I can say if Hogan was alive today he would probably be in contention out there

Magic

I would absoulutely love to see DD or the Shark bring home the jug on Sunday.....I think either of them winning would be the one thing that would put Tiger's absence on the back burner....

It isn't about beating us, it is about beating other professionals.

I hate these posts - they're intellectually stunted and show a lack of thought.

Isn't being physical wrecked and almost dying enough?

Go DD!!!!!!!

it's not germane to the argument.

It certainily is to the argument you began.

I guess he started today's round with a triple...

You know I have been routing for David to make a comeback and like most very disappointted of late his mouth has been the best part of his game.

He keeps saying he is so close and playing so good and shows us nothing .

As for playing him bring it on I will play him the same as anyone a little dollar / dollar LOL and you are right he would probably kick my butt.


He started out today triple on one then bogeyed two.

I just dont think it will happen in one tournament he has to start making some cuts consistently.

Ken

tell me where seeing your father commit suicide in front of you as a young boy and not winning your first tournament until 10 years after turning pro ranks as possible psychological demons

it certainly is NOT. my argument was that nobody in recent memory has come back from being at the top of his game to suddenly fall of the face of the earth golfwise and has made a triumphant return to their original form. guys like Chip Beck, Ian Baker Finch, Sandy Lyle etc. These guys lost in between the ears (as it relates to their golf games) as is the situation with David Duval. Ben Hogan's miraculous comeback was from a physical accident.

Looks like you called it....PM me some lotto numbers for tonight

I gave you an example of someone who has come all the way back...Lee Westwood.

But Westwood is still young, I really think age is a factor most of the time (except for a few exceptions like Norman (if he wins) or K.P. or Nicklaus.

"Hard man"??, "Inner Steel"?? Riiiiight!

Duval's comment today AFTER shooting over 80 "I assure you that noone hit the ball better" (or something to that effect) tells you EXACTLY how clueless and lost he is. He is done.

Tim

Yesterday he is T4 at the British Open. Today he shoots 83 in a 30+ MPH wind... Many shot 80+ in the wind Thursday including Vijay while Duval shot 73, so I guess Vijay is done as well... Saying he's done is foolish. Too much talent and way to young to say he is done.

I do not know if Duval is done or not but I agree he is clueless.

He keeps telling anyone that will listen how close he is to winning even how close he is to greatness. Right now he does not need greatness he needs mediocre he needs consistent. He needs real confidence not made up in his head confidence.

+1

it's not like i predicted anything other than something that was obviously predictable. i'll give you another one. next year, after tiger comes back from surgery, he'll win a tournament.....maybe even two.

Agreed. Predicting that Duval would crash and burn really WAS about as tough as predicting that Tiger will win next year.

I have nothing against Duval continuing to try and make some cuts, however it IS more than a bit absurd and ridiculous for him to keep talking all the garbage about how well he is playing. NOBODY wants to hear it DD, just shut your pie-hole, keep cashing those HUGE Nike checks, keep crushing the buffet, and keep putting up your 80+ scores. With your recent track record, silence would be GOLDEN.

Tim

Duval shot one over today (final round). I think that says something. To come back from a terrible third round. Look at the scores in the final round, one over is one of the better scores today.

You must not know your history,A player called Ben Hogan came back from a life and career ending car crash and became a better player.So dont right DD off just yet.

Hmmm 4 shots worse than Anthony Kim, I'm not sure I would call that terrible. If so I guess we are safe to say Sergio, Westwood and a slew of others are done as well. On a side note it would be very interesting to see how some of you guys would score in those weather conditions in relation to your handicap, could be quite interesting.

Agreed. Predicting that Duval would crash and burn really WAS about as tough as predicting that Tiger will win next year.

I have nothing against Duval continuing to try and make some cuts, however it IS more than a bit absurd and ridiculous for him to keep talking all the garbage about how well he is playing. NOBODY wants to hear it DD, just shut your pie-hole, keep cashing those HUGE Nike checks, keep crushing the buffet, and keep putting up your 80+ scores. With your recent track record, silence would be GOLDEN.

Tim
[/quote]


Let's see - why does DD keep talking? maybe because so many people are interested and becasue reporters and others keep asking. Also, once you are able to cash those big Nike checks, then you can tell someone to shut their piehole. Until then, those of us that like DD and would love to see him come back, will keep asking questions and waiting for the day when DD wins again.

Tim,

Nice juxtaposition there. You talk of Duval talking garbage then treat us to some baseless nonesense.

First things first, Duval posted a round of +13 (83), in normal circumstances you could deem this as a shocker but there again, (a) he made the weekend when Singh, Ogilvy, Baddedely and Weekeley did not and (b) Els posted 80, Mickelson a 79 and Rose 82.

I was at Royal Birkdale and in actuality, the course and conditions were every bit as penal as they appeared on TV. For Duval to have rounds of 73, 69 and 71 proves unequivocally that his game is coming back. The course set-up and the unrelenting winds demanded rock solid ball-striking and a razor sharp short game, with the exception of Saturday, Duval had this in spades.

I was also at Royal St. Georges a few years back when Duval visited what seemed like every inch of the course apart from the fairway and the DD that turned up this year was an altogether different propasition, from the waistline to the game. Anyway, so what if Duval has indulged a little?

If anyone needs to shut their 'piehole' than maybe it's some of his detractors, particularly those who seem to think that nobody wants to hear what he has to say? Wrong again, Duval is slowly regaining a modicum of form and there's plenty of interest from both the media and amongst his legion of loyal supporters.

Stu

Looks like he put on a few pounds while taking time off..

with what he had to say about his game, and the fact that he had three great rounds in the toughest conditions of the year, he just may be back, well have to see in his next tournament, but i think most players in the open championship had somewhat of a blowup round, so im not too worried about the 83 because he has 3 really solid rounds to build off of, i guess what im saying is that if he can play like that in those conditions i dont see why he cant be successful in the weeks to come at some smaller events will more standard US layouts

Like I said, I have nothing against Duval and you will get no argument from me that he was a legit #1 LONG AGO.

As for his constant comments about how great he is playing and how he is "just not scoring", well that is a laugher. So many fans on this site really are FANATICS and just gobble up whatever nonsense their hero is spouting at the time. Tour players are constantly being asked about their game and thankfully most players that are scuffling will tell it like it is. DD, for whatever reason, has decided to play the role of Jack Hamm and sell anyone listening some bs about how great he is hitting the ball. Hey, if you want to buy it...go ahead. All I'm saying is that I've seen him play recently, and I am NOT buying it.

DD WAS a great player. JD WAS a great player. To my mind, there is no shame in having BEEN a great player that is not CURRENTLY a great player. Maybe some people just have a hard time dealing with reality.

Tim

DD is returning to top form and will be a force again on the pga tour!!!

I think Duval may be finally trying a REAL comeback - this from an interview with Bob Rotella in the Guardian newspaper last week...

"He was single-minded for a long time and he made the game so simple. His mind was like a steel trap and he could take on Tiger, anybody, and kick their butt. But he was also very educated and his speech after winning the Open [in 2001] was the best I'd ever heard."It soon seemed very different. He said to me, 'I woke up the morning after I won the Open and I was all alone.' And he discovered that life had not changed. He said, 'I want to find love. I want a wife. I want a family. I want something more than golf.' And that's what happened to David over the last seven years. He drifted away from the game, found a woman who already had some children, and he now has a couple of his own kids with her. He is unbelievably happy. But he now has a perspective that he wants to play great golf again. His skills are really good but it's a matter of getting his mind back again. He's been on a profoundly interesting journey, but does he really want to be a great player again?"


Interesting.

Dave

After watching Greg Norman at 53 come out of virutally nowhere to contend (after all, the guy is not practicing like crazy), and then once again demonstrate that it takes a 'steel trap' mental approach to win out there, then I suppose it is not so far fetched DD can win a tournament.

I don't know if DD is 'back' or 'close', or whatever you want to call it. Looking at the entire year, I still say not even close and I explain his great week at Birkdale as more of an anomaly but for good reasons. Seems to me DD likes playing in the Open, he has posted far more better rounds at the Open than poor rounds. Perhaps the combination of being away from the U.S., dealing with a tough wind (that for all we know may have helped his shot tendencies), buckling down in a tournament he loves, and a better mental outlook is just what he needed to make it all look pretty good this past week. But let's see how it goes when the conditions are pristine and grinding wins you nothing.

If it happens for DD to win again, good for him and his fans, something to cheer about, but if it doesn't no big deal, plenty of other stories on tour to follow - no need to be so over the top negative and tell someone to shut their pie hole (no class).

amen!

Some people have been making negative comments about David Duvals horrible 3rd round. Not to many of you have discussed the great final round he had. If Duval had a decent third round he would have been right in the mix. Some of you on here are making it seem like he choked under the pressure. He had a bad round on SATURDAY not SUNDAY. If a player is to choke it will happen during the final round. Besides almost every player at the open had a bad round. Harrington didn't start that great and the people who were suppose to be favorites along side Harrington didn't make the cut. In fact Duval shot one of the batter rounds sunday. The conditions at the open were as Norman put it "These are the worst conditions I have seen at an open". To say that Duval choked is wrong. He still has some work to do until he is competeing on a regular basis. I have been a fan of his ever since I first seen him play collegiate golf. The last few years have been not only quiet for Duval but for me aswell. I don't really care for Tiger, Phil, or any of the other mainstay's on tour, the last few years I have been routing for the little guy's like Kenny Perry who is coming into his own now, and the Heath Slocum's on tour to name a couple. I have a feeling that Duval at some point will be back. He is still young and has great corporate sponsors backing him. The people that have made comments to the effect that he is clueless are wrong. He was clueless. He went through a divorce health problems and a life change making him unsure whether he wanted to pursue golf any further. Now Duval knows what he wants his health isn't what it was but I think that's the only thing that could slow him down now.


P.S. On another note. Does anybody know what kind of putter he is using now days? I believe it's a Cameron newport, but it seems to have a special finish maybe a black oxide or nickle finsh. I know Duval is famous for a having a sound slot on his putters.

The reason nobody wants to talk about the fourth round is it is of non consequence he had already shot himself out of the tournament.

Honestly I thought it was a pretty good comeback for him.

Choking is simply not trusting what got you in position to choke and it can happen anytime in my opinion. The guy in the first hole of the tournament that is shaking like a leaf and snap hooks it is choking.

Understand everyone that plays bad is not choking , but when mannerisms change and everything seems a tad faster thats choking.

I do not know if David choked during the third round or just reverted to the swing he had been making the past few years.

The part about him that bugs me is still the comments he keeps making about the state of his own game.

Well he is playing again at Reno we will just have to see how he does there.