Greg Norman was the most improbable story during last week's British Open; the former two-time winner, now 53, led the whole thing heading into the final round, before the weather, age and Padraig Harrington's lights-out back nine all conspired against him.
Perhaps second only to Norman's unlikely showing was that of David Duval, the 2001 Open Champion and one of golf's best young players at the turn of the century who fell off the grid in recent years. He emerged at Royal Birkdale, and sandwiched rounds of 73, 69 and 71 around an ugly Saturday 83 that basically eliminated him from contention.
But Duval, who has played in 13 PGA events this season (making just two cuts), will tee it up at the Reno-Tahoe Open next week. Shockingly, he thinks Michelle Wie, playing the event on a sponsor's exemption, would be better off honing her game against women, but understands the economics of it all.
"You're in or you're not in. It's pretty simple," Duval said. "Whether I agree if she should be playing - I think she would be better off on the Futures Tour competing against women - is neither here nor there. (Tournament director) Michael Stearns thinks she can bring people in, and that's his job. If some guy needs a spot in the field, chances are he's not going to sell any tickets. She might add 2,000."So we're in agreement: nobody thinks Wie should be in the field at Reno. All that's left is for Dottie Pepper to call Bo Wie "Satan."
As for Duval, this is swell news; days before the British Open he said was playing some of his best golf in years, and nobody wanted to believe him until he was three shots back heading into the weekend. Hopefully, he can build off that and gradually return to the tour full time. And maybe he can get back to the task of challenging Tiger Woods since no one has really taken up that mantle in his absence.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-24-2008 @ 9:22PM
jerry oliver said...
it would be great to see david get back to playing like he use to . he was a great player was as good as anyone when he had it going. good luck david you can get to the top again
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7-24-2008 @ 10:24PM
Wade said...
I'd love to see Duval find his game again. He's a much better foil than Philbert.
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7-26-2008 @ 1:22AM
Dave said...
Perhaps Duval can eventually get back to the task of challenging Tiger Woods as a full time player? lol Based on what, a solid British Open and what would be a largely irrelevant good week in Reno? Always liked him and have nothing personal against the guy, but really, how laughably hopeful (mindless?) are you? Fighting his way back into the top 70 or 80 in the world rankings and maybe winning three or four more tourneys down the road before he permanently exits the PGA scene would be realistic goals for him, but his competing consistently at the highest levels at this point is largely fallacy as that process would have begun by now if it were going to and he's been playing inconsistent, often embarrassing, golf for a very long time now. Sorry guys, but you can bet that if there's some lily white hero out there ready to mount his horse and gallop in to consistently challenge Tiger Woods upon his return next year it sure isn't going to be David Duval.
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7-27-2008 @ 11:47AM
paul said...
wie is a joke. sorenstam or ochoa i could possibly understand, but you should have to earn a spot on the tour. now there is gonna be someone more deserving who will lose their spot to wie. not fair.
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