By David Duval
Special to the Augusta Chronicle

Masters rookie David Duval, a four-time first team All-American at Georgia Tech, is sharing his thoughts with staff writer David Westin for a daily diary this week. Duval, a fourth-year professional, earned his Masters invitation by finishing among the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour in 1995. He was 11th with $881,436.

I'm driving down from Atlanta this morning and should get to the Augusta National Golf Club around noon.I tied for third place in the BellSouth Classic Sunday at the Atlanta Country Club with a 6-under-par 282 total. The week before, I tied for fourth place at The Players Championship.

They plan to move the BellSouth to the TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth, Ga., next year. I'm kind of saddened that it has to leave. We played the Atlanta Country Club a little bit when I was at Georgia Tech. We were in a situation where we had 10 to 14 guys on our golf team and to take up three or four tee times at a club like this is not something you can do twice a week so we really played all around the city. When we did get to play it, it was a lot of fun. It was always the best-conditioned course we played.

And in my first year as a participant in the BellSouth Classic, in 1992, I was the leader as an amateur after 54 holes and finished tied for 13th place.

This was the first year the Atlanta tournament has been played the week before the Masters. Anybody who was looking ahead to the Masters wasn't much of a factor, I don't think.

I haven't thought about who I might play a practice round with today. When I was growing up, I always liked watching Bernhard Langer and Seve Ballesteros play. I liked how they went about it. They are very contrasting. I like the flair of Seve but I also like the workman-like ethic of Langer. I like watching them both.

I know a Bernhard a bit. I've never met Seve. I've seen him in locker rooms. I might try to catch up with Bernhard and go around with him. He's a real good fellow. I like being around him.

I've played the Augusta National a half a dozen times before I went to Georgia Tech and once I got there. We were really just messing around. I'd go out there and really be into it and say I want to see what I can shoot today. After about four holes I was looking around and I'd lost it. It just didn't matter to you anymore. You just want to walk around and hit a couple golf balls and just enjoy it.

I've arranged to have an Augusta National caddy, Johnny Frank, today through Wednesday. I know from being there previously that there is a ton of local knowledge involved. I think I can learn a lot from him.

Although the golf course does require a lot of rounds, especially under tournament conditions, I do have a some assets that are very beneficial on that golf course. I drive the ball well and fairly long and I have the capability to hit iron shots pretty high. Right now, I've seen my putting improve each week. I'm a little more consistent with that.

So, although I feel like you need to know a lot, I do think I also have some things going for me that might counteract that. At least, I hope so.