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On the Course Woods' loss became Duval's gain
Updated: Monday July 23, 2001 8:06 AM
By Patrick Snell, Special to CNNSI.com LYTHAM ST. ANNES, England -- It's the biggest win of David Duval's career to date. Winning the Open allowed Duval, a 29-year-old from Florida, to finally shake off that growing stigma as the best golfer never to have won a major. Going into the final round -- amid all the congestion atop the leaderboard -- one name remained the most talked about -- that of defending champion Tiger Woods. But that frenzied focus allowed Duval to recover from a mediocre start in the early rounds and play his own outstanding golf to finish 10-under, three clear of his nearest rival. Making that final walk down the 18th knowing the title was in the bag meant everything to him. "I felt like I was in the right place," Duval said. "That's the best way to put it -- that I should be making that walk. I played well enough to know I deserved to be there. I just felt I was in the right place in the right time." In stark contrast to Duval, Woods never managed to mount a serious challenge because of problems with his swing mechanics. He continues to struggle on the golf course, recording another disappointing finish -- by his standards, at least. Going into a tournament for the first time in two years, the world's No. 1 player experienced three consecutive finishes outside the top-10. He now has another one to add to his recent collection. Nevertheless, despite losing his Open crown, Woods remains defiant saying, "Overall, I am disappointed but not overly because I really tried hard this week. "I got a lot out of my rounds this week," Woods added. "I didn't really drive the ball particularly well, my mechanics were a little bit off, but I was able to somehow keep it together where I had a chance." In a span of a few short weeks this summer, Woods has surrendered both his U.S. and British Open titles. While Duval celebrates his first major, Woods may well be wondering when his next one is coming. The PGA championship next month in Atlanta should provide some answers.
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