Duval Takes the Plunge; Can He Get Back Up?

Here are the numbers: 233, 15, 3, 3, 2.

Know what they represent? David Duval’s ranking this year and his ranking the four years before. By any analysis, this is no mere descent, but more of an all-out plunge to the depths of golf.

What happened to Duval this year couldn’t be more unexpected, at least in the opinion of Tiger Woods, who said Duval’s demise is the most surprising event in golf in 2003.

“Having to see one of my friends struggle as much as he has,” Woods said, “it was tough to watch, because it wasn’t too long ago he won the British Open, two years ago.”

It was a struggle for Duval, all right. He made four cuts all year, none after the middle of June, missed the cut in 14 tournaments and withdrew twice. He won $84,708, 212th on the money list.

What’s more, Duval continued to have problems with his back and when he compensated for his physical ailments, he couldn’t hit the ball straight.

“He keeps jerking his back out,” said Gio Valiante, a sports psychologist who works with Duval and in the department of education at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. “Where is your confidence going when you can’t keep the ball on the fairway?”

Duval isn’t playing this week in the $5-million Target World Challenge, but he was at Moorpark Country Club on Monday to help launch the new Nike Ignite driver. He left Tuesday for Denver, where his fiancee lives.

Duval, who was troubled over his breakup with his girlfriend of eight years, Julie McArthur, met his new bride-to-be when he played the International in Colorado Springs in August.

“That’ll probably help,” Fred Couples said.

Woods knows Duval as well as anyone and he believes that a comeback should begin in Duval’s head.

“A lot of it is just confidence,” Woods said. “We all know he has a unique golf swing. But his swing still looks just the same. It’s just confidence. You’ve had enough prolonged period where you’re just not feeling confident at all about your game. It’s hard to snap out of it. You need to take little baby steps. Make a cut here and shoot a little bit better round there.

“I think if he just sticks with one person to work with, instead of listening to a whole bunch of individuals, then I’ll think he’ll get out of it.”

Duval has sought help from David Leadbetter, Jack Lumpkin and Jim McLean.

Couples, who has a bad back, said he would advise Duval against spending too much time snowboarding, even though Duval loves the sport.

“That would be my big suggestion,” Couples said. “That can’t be too good.”

Valiante, who said his time with Duval has been cut back, believes that the snowboarding issue isn’t a big one.

“David’s a bright guy. He knows his limits. If he thought it was hurting his game, he wouldn’t do it.”

Whatever the case, Couples would like Duval to know that he’s rooting for him. Couples and Davis Love III have played a number of practice rounds with Duval when he was struggling.

Duval will come back, Couples predicted.

“Will it be easy? Nothing’s easy in this game. I think he’s quite a ways off, but at the same time, you’ve got to take baby steps. Let’s face it, he’s too good not to come back. He used to win all the time. You don’t do that without having something good inside you.”

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Cool and blustery conditions Thursday didn’t exactly lead to low scores at Sherwood Country Club -- only four were under par in the first round, the best of them a two-under 70 by Love. Woods, Kenny Perry and Justin Leonard were one shot off the lead after opening with 71s.

“I’m pretty happy with it,” Love said. “To get out of there without blowing myself out of the tournament, which a few guys have done today.”

Darren Clarke shot a nine-over 81. Jay Haas and Shaun Micheel had 76s and Ben Curtis had a 78.

Love and Woods are paired together today and so are Perry and Leonard.

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World Challenge

First-Round Scores

Thursday’s results at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Par 72:

*--* Davis Love III...35-35-70 -2 Tiger Woods...36-35-71 -1 Kenny Perry...38-33-71 -1 Justin Leonard...36-35-71 -1 Robert Allenby...38-34-72 E K.J. Choi...35-37-72 E Fred Couples...35-38-73 +1 Nick Price...39-35-74 +2 Padraig Harrington...37-37-74 +2 Chris DiMarco...35-39-74 +2 Vijay Singh...37-37-74 +2 Mike Weir...38-37-75 +3 Jay Haas...38-38-76 +4 Shaun Micheel...37-39-76 +4 Ben Curtis...40-38-78 +6 Darren Clarke...37-44-81 +9

Today’s Tee Times 9:50 a.m....Curtis, Clarke 10...Haas, Micheel 10:10...Singh, Weir 10:20...Harrington, DiMarco 10:30...Couples, Price 10:40...Allenby, Choi 10:50...Perry, Leonard 11...Love III, Woods

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