David Duval needs to have a limbo party and go way low tomorrow on the Disney-Magnolia course if he wants to play the weekend in the PGA Tour's final tournament of the season in Orlando. The former #1 player in the world shot a four over par 76 on the Disney-Palm course and is tied for 125th in the tournament. Only the lowest 70 and ties will advance, so it's clear that Duval needs to go limbo tomorrow.Should he fail to retain his card, Duval made it sound like he may rely on sponsors' exemptions next season:
"A lot of what the PGA TOUR is about, what professional golf is about, is relationships and loyalties," Duval said. "And you know, I would think that, you know, they know I play in Los Angeles every year and they know I play at Pebble Beach every year. They know I play at, you know, you name it.Of course, all that is moot if Duval can heat up his putting and make a run in Florida on Friday.
"There's certain events I always play, or eight or nine out of 10 times I'm eligible, you know, I'm at those events, supporting them and being there. And I think that goes somewhere."
It's not easy to tell with Duval, but that sure doesn't sound like he's in a very positive frame of mind after that 4-over first round. Sounds like he's pretty much resigned to playing on his past champion's status with the sponsors. Unfortunately, he isn't the big crowd draw that a John Daly is. I hope the sponsors appreciate his past accomplishments and leave the doors open for him.
ReplyDeleteWere I Duval, I might go back to the Nationwide Tour, with its somewhat lower amount of attention and see if I could get earn my way into the Top 25 of that tour and thus earn my card for 2011.
ReplyDeleteDuval had some 31 putts today, which says to me that's the part of his game that needs to most work. Without the pressure of the bright lights, maybe he can work out his game issues, get his head back on straight and re-develop the hunger he'll need if he plans to succeed on the big Tour in the long haul.