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The difference in Duval Putting problems costing former No. 1 victories
Posted: Friday May 26, 2000 01:04 PM
The case of David Duval provides a good example of how fine the line is at the top of the PGA Tour. At this point last year, Duval was third on the PGA Tour in Total Driving and second in Greens In Regulation. This year, Duval is second in both categories. But in 1999 he had four wins, this year he's got none. The reason? Putting. This year Duval is averaging 29.64 putts per round, one more than last year. Knock a stroke a day off Duval's performance this year and he would have won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and tied for first at the Masters and the Mercedes Championships. One win awayNot that Hale Irwin's ever been complacent, but a chance at history has put an extra log in his furnace. With 26 career wins, Irwin needs just two more to tie Lee Trevino for most Senior Tour victories. This week he's at Boone Valley in his hometown of St. Louis, where he's already won twice and has a 68.25 scoring average in 12 rounds. A big chance to close in on the title of greatest Senior Tour player ever. Shark assuredEven if he doesn't qualify on points, Greg Norman be will chosen to play in this October's Presidents Cup. International team captain Peter Thomson said Norman will be one of his two wild card picks. The former world No. 1 player is currently 14th in the point standings, only the top 10 earn automatic berths. Said Thomson, "Can you imagine a President's Cup without Greg Norman?" Championship caliberLook for someone with a major championship on their resume to emerge victorious this week at the Memorial. The last seven Memorial champions -- Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Vijay Singh, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Tom Lehman and Paul Azinger -- have all won at least one major championship. Singh sees the futureSpeaking of Singh, he is strongly considering following the lead of Woods and Jesper Parnevik by having Lasik corrective eye surgery. Said the Masters champion, who has had trouble putting and reading greens, "I should do it. But if do it, it's going to be a spur of the moment thing." Sports Illustrated senior writer Jaime Diaz covers the golf beat for the magazine and appears regularly on CNN's "Sports Illustrated Golf Plus" show.
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