News
Welcome Back David Duval
I must admit, I waited impatiently for a few days to post this congratuations because I did not want to take anything away from Lucas Glover’s spectacular and much deserved win this past weekend at the US Open. I would be lying if I told you that’s what this short story is about. It’s not. It is about David Duval, Mr. 59, former World #1, the guy hiding behind the darkened Oakleys, I always knew you had something left for the game of golf. Last summer while watching The Open Championship I hoped that you could make a run down the stretch and challenge Greg Norman, Ian Poulter and the eventual winner, Padraig Harrington on the last day. It didn’t materialize, but there was a glimpse of greatness shining through the clouds. I saw it. Many have heard you answer questions about your game with, I am playing great, but my scores just are not reflective of my efforts and work ethic. Not many believed in you David, but I did. Furthermore, I knew that once you started speaking to how much you liked Bethpage Black as a golf course, you would be a contender. Yes, a contender, and NOT an also ran.
David Duval, camo shorts and all, lining up a drive during the USGA Sectional Qualifier in Columbus, Ohio. Pic by Christian Rodriguez.
In fact, I took my first day off from work for the summer (I am a teacher) by waking up at 4 AM to drive two hours so that I could follow you up closely for 18 holes during your first round of the USGA Sectional qualifying at Brookside Golf and Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. Many friends asked why I didn’t follow some other big names, and my reply was David Duval is the man to watch that day. Sure I saw a lot of other big names, but that’s not why I drove two hours so early in the morning. I was immediately impressed with all aspects of your game that day and knew that things were on the way up, and really soon too! I had originally planned on following Mr. 59 for his second 18 holes at Lakes Country Club later that afternoon, but was so motivated watching him play, I hopped in my Jeep after the first 18 holes and went and played (well, I tried to anyway) 18 holes prior to driving back to Cincinnati. (We won’t talk about my score either…)
Duval shot a 6 under 66 on an old school, very tight, tree lined golf course to make his own way into the 2009 US Open. Pic by Christian Rodriguez.
Ahhh…that darned triple bogey from that sand trap lip. Dang it. This is golf, remember? Unfortunately, you cannot get out of every sticky mess your shots or even bad luck place you in on the course. I saw the field come back to you a bit as you played a marvelous final round to get back into contention for the big win, even with that nasty triple bogey to start your day Monday.
Placing in second at our United States Open Championship is a lot to be proud of David Duval. It is even much more of an accomplishment because it shows David Duval’s perseverance for renewed excellence and doing what many in this world said could not be done.
Thanks for being in it right up until the very end! Good luck in next month’s Open Championship.
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News
SuperStroke acquires Lamkin Grips
SuperStroke announced today its purchase of 100-year-old grip maker Lamkin Grips, citing the company’s “heritage of innovation and quality.”
“It is with pride and great gratitude that we announce Lamkin, a golf club grip brand with a 100-year history of breakthrough design and trusted products, is now a part of the SuperStroke brand,” says SuperStroke CEO Dean Dingman. “We have always had the utmost respect for how the Lamkin family has put the needs and benefits of the golfer first in their grip designs. If there is a grip company that is most aligned with SuperStroke’s commitment to uncompromised research, design, and development to put the most useful performance tools in the hands of golfers, Lamkin has been that brand. It is an honor to bring Lamkin’s wealth of product innovation into the SuperStroke family.”
Elver B. Lamkin founded the company in 1925 and produced golf’s first leather grips. The company had been family-owned and operated since that point, producing a wide array of styles, such as the iconic Crossline.
According to a press release, “The acquisition of Lamkin grows and diversifies SuperStroke’s proven and popular array of grip offerings with technology grounded in providing golfers optimal feel and performance through cutting-edge design and use of materials, surface texture and shape.”
CEO Bob Lamkin will stay on as a board member and will continue to be involved with the company.
“SuperStroke has become one of the most proven, well-operated, and pioneering brands in golf grips and we could not be more confident that the Lamkin legacy, brand, and technology is in the best of hands to continue to innovate and lead under the guidance of Dean Dingman and his remarkably capable team,” Lamkin said.
Related: Check out our 2014 conversation with Bob Lamkin, here: Bob Lamkin on the wrap grip reborn, 90 years of history
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News
Tour Rundown: Pendrith, Otaegui, Longbella, and Dunlap soar
Take it from a fellow who coaches high school golf in metro Toronto: there’s plenty of great golf played in the land of the maple leaf. All the greats have designed courses over the USA border: Colt, Whitman, Ross, Coore, Mackenzie, Doak, as well as the greatest of the land, Stanley Thompson. I’m partial to him, because he wore my middle name with grandeur. Enough about the architecture, because this week’s Tour Rundown begins with a newly-minted, Canadian champion on the PGA Tour. Something else that the great white north is known for, is weather. It impacted play on three of the world’s tours, forcing final-round cancellations on two of them.
It was an odd week in the golf world. The LPGA and the Korn Ferry were on a break, and only 13/15 of the rounds slated, were played. In the end, we have four champions to recognize, so let’s not delay any longer with minutiae about the game that we love. Let’s run it all down with this week’s Tour Rundown.
PGA Tour: TP takes TS at Byron’s place
The 1980s was a decade when a Canadian emergence was anticipated on the PGA Tour. It failed to materialize, but a path was carved for the next generation. Mike Weir captured the Masters in 2003, but no other countrymen joined him in his quest for PGA Tour conquest. 2024 may herald the long-awaited arrival of a Canadian squad of tour winners. Over the past few years, we’ve seen Nick Taylor break the fifty-plus year dearth of homebred champions at the Canadian Open, and players like Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Adam Svennson, and Mackenzie Hughes have etched their names into the PGA Tour’s annals of winners.
This week, Taylor Pendrith joined his mates with a one-shot win at TPC Craig Ranch, the home of the Byron Nelson Classic. Pendrith took a lead into the final round and, while the USA’s Jake Knapp faltered, held on for the slimmest of victories. Sweden’s Alex Noren posted six-under 65 on Sunday to move into third position, at 21-under par. Ben Kohles, a Texan, looked to break through for his first win in his home state. He took the lead from Pendrith at the 71st hole, on the strength of a second-consecutive birdie.
With victory in site, Kohles found a way to make bogey at the last, without submerging in the fronting water. His second shot was greenside, but he could not move his third to the putting surface. His fourth was five feet from par and a playoff, but his fifth failed to drop. Meanwhile, Pendrith was on the froghair in two, and calmly took two putts from 40 feet, for birdie. When Kohles missed for par, Pendrith had, at last, a PGA Tour title.
360° and in!
A nervy par save by @TaylorPendrith to remain one back as he seeks his first PGA TOUR victory @CJByronNelson. pic.twitter.com/LVFXUSidSg
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 5, 2024
DP World Tour: China Open in Otaegui’s hands after canceled day four
It wasn’t the fourth round that was canceled in Shenzhen, but the third. Rains came on Saturday to Hidden Grace Golf Club, ensuring that momentum would cease. Sunday would instead be akin to a motorsports restart, with no sense of who might claim victory. Sebastian Soderberg, the hottest golfer on the Asian Swing, held the lead, but he would slip to a 72 on Sunday, and tie for third with Paul Waring and Joel Girrbach. Italy’s Guido Migliozzi completed play in 67 strokes on day three, moving one shot past the triumvirate, to 17-under par.
It was Spain’s Adrian Otaegui who persevered the best and played the purest. Otaegui was clean on the day, with seven birdies for 65. Even when Migliozzi ceased the lead at the 10th, Otaegui remained calm. With everything on the line, Migliozzi made bogey at the par-five 17th, as his principal competitor finished in birdie. To the Italian’s credit, he bounced back with birdie at the last, to claim solo second. The victory was Otaegui’s fifth on the DP World Tour, and first since October of 2022.
.@adrianotaegui birdies the 16th to tie the lead at -17 ?#VolvoChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/p4tfE5DRJa
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 5, 2024
PGA Tour Americas: Quito’s rains gift title to Longbella
Across the world, superintendents and their staffs will do anything to prepare a course for play. Even after fierce, nightime rains, the Quito TG Club greeted the first four groups on Sunday. The rains worsened after 7 am, however, and the tour was forced to abort the final round of play. With scores reverting to Saturday’s numbers, Thomas Longbella’s one-shot advantage over Gunn Yang turned into a Tour Americas victory.
64 held the opening-day lead, and Longbella was not far off, with 66. Yang jumped to the top on day two, following a67 with 66. He posted 68 on day three, and anticipated a fierce, final-round duel for the title. As for Longbella, he fought off a ninth-hole bogey on Saturday with six birdies and a 17th-hole eagle. That rare bird proved to be the winning stroke, allowing Longbella to edge past Yang, and secure ultimate victory.
.@TBalla21 eagles 17, shoots 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the KIA Open. pic.twitter.com/TTOL2LxSdh
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) May 4, 2024
PGA Tour Champions: Dunlap survives Saturday stumble for win
Scott Dunlap did not finish Saturday as well as he might have liked. After beginning play near Houston with 65, Dunlap made two bogeys in his final found holes on day two, to finish at nine-under par. Hot on his heels was Joe Durant, owner of a March 2024 win on PGA Tour Champions. Just behind Durant was Stuart Appleby, perhaps vibing from his Sunday 59 at Greenbrier on this day in 2010. Neither would have a chance to track Dunlap down.
The rains that have forced emergency responders into action, to save hundreds of lives in the metro Houston area, ended hopes for a third day of play at The Woodlands. Dunlap had won once previously on Tour Champions, in 2014 in Washington state. Ten years later, Dunlap was the fortunate recipient of a canceled final round, and his two days of play were enough to earn him TC victory number two.
Off the green? No worries for @ScottDu12500063
8-under solo leader @InsperityInvtnl pic.twitter.com/hoj5OujL5C
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 4, 2024
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Morning 9: Pendrith’s maiden Tour win | Morikawa back with former coach | Brooks victorious
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Anonymous
Jul 2, 2009 at 12:46 pm
I too watched him at the sectional qualifier in Columbus, only at The Lakes. I work there, so i had access to the course (carts) and the players in the locker room. He was a very nice guy to talk to and sounded very enthusiastic about getting to play on the open (talked to him after the round) i was really hoping he could pull it off come sunday (errr.. monday)
Devin Drayton
Jul 1, 2009 at 9:11 am
Great article, I feel much the same way about David. I can still remember watching Duval hit Driver-5 iron-putt for his eagle on the 18th to complete the 59, as good as it gets.
Eric Schuster
Jun 30, 2009 at 8:19 am
I have to admit I doubted whether Mr. Duval could come back from whatever level of Dante’s Inferno he’d reached on the plunge from number one in the world to number eight hundred eighty two. A major head trip like that has doomed so many in the past. But to watch the US Open unfold, and particularly after that triple bogey opening hole on Monday was enough to give even the four horsemen of doom pause. The man can still play, and play well. I’ve wished/hoped for his return for years. May this be the beginning of that return.