By John Oehser
Florida Times-Union sports writer
Morris News Service

PONTE VEDRA BEACH - David Duval stood still for several seconds in the 11th fairway, 3-iron in follow-through position and confusion on his face.

Maybe it was him.

Or the muddy, mucky surface. ``I just don't have an explanation for it,'' he said hours later.

And maybe he never will.

Duval had hit what he thought was a normal shot, likely close to the hole for a routine par, he said. Instead, it sailed the green into water. After a drop and a double-bogey 6, the Ponte Vedra Beach native who started the final round two shots off the lead alone in second needed birdies on Nos. 16 and 17 to tie for fourth in The Players Championship.

``I feel like I could have done better,'' said Duval, who shot 1-under 71 yesterday to finish 13 under and earn $137,812.50, ``but it's hard to be real disappointed when you feel like you've played all right.''

The finish was easily Duval's first Top 10 of the season, most of which he has spent nursing tendinitis in his left shoulder. His previous best finish had been a tie for 33rd, and he had earned just more than $12,000.

``I'm very pleased to have played well after not having played for a while,'' he said. ``Considering the pressures of playing in your hometown, I feel like I played pretty good,''

The pressure, Duval said, came early. He felt nervous practicing yesterday morning, and more so on the first tee. Duval said after Saturday's round of 68 he liked making a birdie on the first hole for a good start. His first hole yesterday was a bogey, and he spent the remainder of the day trying to catch Tommy Tolles, his playing partner and third- round leader.

``It was a bit nerve-racking,'' he said. ``It's a lot of fun, especially if you're out there when the crowd is going crazy. Starting out, though, you have the nerves.''

While he chased Tolles, winner Fred Couples shot 64 to finish 18 under, five shots ahead of Duval. ``I would have had to shoot 6 under to tie,'' Duval said. ``I was more concerned about making some birdies coming home.

``I knew on 15 something was going on,'' he added, referring to his position on the course when Couples made an eagle on 16 and a birdie on 17. ``On 14 and 15, you could here the 3-2 (eagle-birdie) being made. We knew what was going on then.''

By then, Duval had made double-bogey on No. 11, and knew victory was unlikely. What happened on 11? His best guess, he said, was he misjudged whether or not there was water underneath his ball before he shot.

``A couple of shots I'd like back, sure,'' he said. ``I'd like to try that shot on 11 knowing whether it was a dry ball, but overall I can't complain. I played pretty good again today, I did some things well, and I had some putts I thought I might have made that didn't go in. All in all, it was a good day.''