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 Tournament invitation by finishing among the top 30 money winners on the PGA Tour in 1995. He was 11th with $881,436. This year, Duval is 22nd on the money list with $226,066. He has finished fourth and third in his last two tournaments.

For the second straight day, I played a practice round with Tim Herron. John Daly and Fuzzy Zoeller made it a foursome. They're all my friends so it was a lot of fun.

Obviously there is a lot of local knowledge you need here. But the vast majority of the field, especially the guys who qualified as top 30 money winners last year, have won golf tournaments.

This is probably the most prestigious event in the world, but at the same time, to accomplish your goals you have to go about it the same way as you normally would. Your nerves will come into play a lot more.

I hired an Augusta National caddy, Johnny Frank Moore, for the practice rounds. He's helping show me and my caddy Jeff Weber where I should hit it and where to putt from, those kinds of things. We're just tying to gain a lot of the local knowledge you need.

I feel great. I'm playing good golf. I've been there and had a chance to win the last couple of weeks but haven't quite done enough to win.

I had a two-shot lead going into the final round of the BellSouth Classic on Sunday in Marietta and shot a 76 and finished tied for third place.

It just takes a little while to sink in. A lot of great players before me have fought to get through that first time of winning. There is no reason I shouldn't either.

For some people it comes easy and some it comes hard. It was the same way in my amateur career and college golf. I think once I get through that first time it will flow from there.

I'm hitting it far for me. I don't like to turn it over (draw the ball) with my driver too much so I just have to play a little safer on some of the holes you need a draw.

I'm looking forward to playing in the Par-3 tournament today.

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