Opinion & Analysis
Why David Duval is playing better golf in 2014
Don’t worry. This isn’t another article about David Duval’s decline. Neither is it speculation as to what went wrong for the world No. 1 and what continues to plague him. Rather, it’s an examination of what’s going right for Duval this season in general, and what went very right for him at the Zurich Classic, where he finished tied for 25th, in particular.
The 2001 Open champion got around TPC Louisiana in rounds of 68-69-70-73. The field average for those days: 71.5, 70.7, 69.9, 72.4. Thus, Duval put together four pretty solid rounds, and the finish was his best since 2011.
So what was the Florida native doing right in the Big Easy? With sincerest apologies to Rich Hunt, I’ll take a stab at answering that question.
For one thing, Duval’s driving distance at the Zurich Classic was impressive: He averaged 298 yards off the tee, 24th in the field. That’s nearly 14 yards farther than his 2014 average and nearly 25 yards beyond his 2013 average. As he’s struggled to find greens in regulation in recent years, it was a tremendous help to be firing his approaches from farther down the fairway (not surprisingly).
In addition to ranking as one of the longest drivers in all week in Louisiana, Duval gained 0.871 strokes on the field on the greens. The 0.871 strokes gained-putting stat was 20th in the field, and is 1.22 strokes better than his 2014 average and 1.71 strokes better than his average last season. That’s a huge difference. And as a result, Duval’s scoring average across four round at the Zurich Classic was 70. The number is 1.85 strokes better than his 2014 average thus far and 4.73 strokes better than his mark in 2013.
The most glaring statistical anomalies in Duval’s play this week, then, are long driving and impressive putting. His driving accuracy and greens in regulation figures were on par with his averages this season.
Looking at Duval’s scoring, it wasn’t a tremendous uptick in birdies this week that helped him finish tied for 25th, but a steep decline in the number of squares on his scorecard. As you can see below, Duval averaged fewer than two birdies per round this week, which is vastly fewer than the 4.31 he’s been averaging in 2014. He also cut his “doubles or worse” metric in half, which goes a long way on the scorecard.
Double D has now made three of seven cuts on the season. Last year, he made just one of seven. Although making cuts (and thus accumulating cash and ranking points) is vital to Duval advancing beyond Past Champion status and relying on exemptions next year, it’s not the only area where he’s improved.
Below is a graph of statistical categories in which Duval is performing substantially better this season.
Duval has dramatically improved his performance from between 150 and 200 yards out. His GIR percentage from 150-to-175 yards has increased by more than 31 percent, and his GIR from 175-to-200 yards has improved by nearly 20 percent.
He’s hitting the ball 13 feet closer to the hole from 175 to 200 yards in 2014, and he’s improved his proximity to the pin from other important distances as well, as you can see above.
Duval’s putting is also markedly improved this season. Most notably, he’s making nearly 15 percent more putts from three to five feet this season.
His driving accuracy, while not spectacular, has improved to nearly 56 percent. In other words, he’s gone from being profoundly erratic off the tee (well outside the top 200) to better than 175th. More importantly, though, Duval is hitting the ball an average of nearly 11 yards farther off the tee this season and is presently tied for 119th on Tour. He would have been around 170th on Tour last season, had he played enough golf to qualify for inclusion in the official stats.
At 62.2 percent, Duval is 178th on Tour in greens in regulation after his showing at the Zurich Classic. Not great, to be sure, but an 11.8 percent improvement from his percentage last season, and nearly two more greens per round.
Duval’s play on the green has improved substantially as well. Instead of losing 0.84 strokes per round to the field average, Duval is losing just 0.35 this season, which places him 163rd on Tour in strokes gained-putting for the season. He was would have placed close to 200th last year.
The result of all this: a near three-stroke improvement in his scoring average from last year (74.73) to this (71.85). Duval is presently 172nd in scoring average. Last season, his 74.73 average would have placed him well outside of the top 200 on Tour.
All of this begs the question, what is David Duval doing differently this season?
Double D has been using a Kramski HPP 326 TP putter since late last season (as best I can tell). The flatstick is designed without grooves or milling and is clearly constructed with proper alignment in mind. Whatever the specific reason, Duval has improved his work on the greens with this putter.
Also, as per John Strege of Golf Digest, Duval has significantly modified his on-course practice. As Duval said:
I had a special set of clubs made, starting at 56 degrees, backing out seven degrees [per club]. So I carry a 56, a 49, a 42, a 35.5, a 28.5, and like a 21.5. I carry a driver and putter and and a 4-wood…so I have the challenge of having to hit golf shots.
One would assume the result of practicing with the limited set is that rather than worrying about the mechanics of the full swing, Duval is forced to play particular shots based on the situation, which is both similar to competition and useful in a shot-focused, rather than swing thought-focused, approach. In short, Duval, one of the most technical golfers seems trying to be more of a feel player.
Whatever else has contributed, David Duval’s 2014 season has been markedly better than last year’s campaign. I’m sure I speak for all golf fans in saying I hope the trend continues.
This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.
I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.
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Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.
With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.
Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!
Club Junkie
Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast
The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.
Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.
If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.
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Club Junkie
Tour Edge Exotics mini driver review + TaylorMade Spider ZT Max first look – Club Junkie
On this episode of Club Junkie, I put the new Tour Edge Exotics Mini Driver to the test and break down the performance, forgiveness, distance, and where it fits compared to a traditional driver or strong fairway wood. If you have been curious about adding a mini driver to the bag, this one is worth a look.
I also dive into the new TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter that was recently spotted and discuss the growing zero torque putter trend. Plus, there is a closer look at the new Project X Titan Yellow shaft showing up on the PGA Tour and what makes it different from other profiles currently out there.
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Iain Donnelly
May 4, 2014 at 1:00 pm
David Duval has been one of the greatest ball strikers of all time – snd I heard this whilst at dinner with an ex Ryder Cup player who had played with him during David’s golden years. The reason he could and sincerely hope he does, and believe he will is despite the complexity of golf quite simple. Firstly a mere glimpse of an improvement has the potential to put David’s “Golf Brain” back into auto-pilot whilst playing the shot in tournament conditions. Secondly he can use the power of recall using his massive library of great shots and events on the golf course he experienced in the a past. And finally, at a guess because I do not know the man he only has to become an actor again and disassociate himself as a person and his golf game – we could see him win again! I hope so! Iain Donnelly
oc
May 1, 2014 at 10:24 am
In David’s bag:
Driver: VR_S Covert 2.0 Tour Driver
Fairway Wood: VR_S Covert Fairway Woods
Irons: VR Pro Blade Irons
Wedges: VR Pro Wedges
Ball: RZN Platinum
Footwear: TW’13
Nike equipment is just fine.
leftright
Apr 30, 2014 at 8:27 pm
The whoring of publicist, writers, teachers, players is way out of hand in golf now. It’s a sign of the tremendously awful times we are currently going through. People sell their soul for a buck and many are never heard from again. Rory is the biggest victim of it at the moment but the money got him. It’s not so much the changed of equipment as the psychological impact it has on the player. It is always in the back of their mind if they can hit the new stuff like the old stuff.
Happyday_J
Apr 30, 2014 at 9:42 pm
I completely understand you and what your saying.
However the counter argument is, who in their right mind would turn down that much money on the table. Anyone of us, if we were offered a pay raise to a rival company that was as substantial as his, as long as nothing is done illegal or anything like that, who would turn it down.
and secondly, it wasnt just the clubs that were causing the problems. If you look at his stats, particularly the ball striking stats and compare, his ball striking was exactly the SAME, and some were better. what went down was his putting significantly.
Putting is the part of the game where your state of mind shows up more than anywhere else, and many people discredit the legal issues he was faced with by old company sponsors, in and out of court, mourned to having some relationship issues at one point, changing in management, with, which resulted in more legal issues. He also was changing his swing quite a bit, never made not of it but some pretty big changes were going on. Thats a heck of a lot going on, and most of it pretty negative in his life.
I say we all stop pointing the fingers at the equipment with the stats showing differently and just accept the fact that the dudes human and maybe he just had a down year all around his life, and it showed on the golf course.
Corey
Apr 30, 2014 at 4:31 pm
My brother in law was his partner in the Pro-Am. His good play started there as they placed 2nd 😉
Roger
Apr 30, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Great to see a come back
Combo of longer accurate drives, irons closer to the pin
and a Demon Putter…not the putter you are told to play…
Who would have guessed!
Stay focussed and wish you the best for 2014.
Bob
Apr 30, 2014 at 8:35 am
Great article and nice to see good old DD making his way back.
Pedantic note: The difference between 50% and 55.15% is not 5.15%, but 5.15 pp (percentage points) or 10.3%. That also means his GIR from 150-to-175 yards has improved almost 74%, which is staggering. Keep up the good work, DD.
Dave
Apr 30, 2014 at 12:32 pm
What about to say the same thing, percentage depicts a relative basis. But, good article.
Rep
Apr 30, 2014 at 3:20 am
Does improved Nike equipment have anything to do with his better scoring? fnar fnar snicker snicker
GolferX
Apr 29, 2014 at 8:01 pm
Just hope, he continues to get better. Don’t mean to talk out of turn but I had heard that there may have been some personal (mental health) issues involved. Happens to us all…
Large chris
Apr 29, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Loved watching Duval at at his best a few years ago, hope he gets it back
TG
Apr 29, 2014 at 8:49 am
Is he still working with Chris O’Connell?
Chuck
Apr 28, 2014 at 11:40 pm
I searched all over for an updated WITB for DD.
robert
Apr 28, 2014 at 9:11 pm
I think this is at least part of the reason David is getting it back – “However, he said that if he didn’t do what it took to keep his card — and he’s excited about the work he’s done with Chris O’Connell, Matt Kuchar’s swing coach, over the past year – See more at: http://www.weiunderpar.com/post/tag/chris-oconnell#sthash.pputRS3k.dpufnk“
Ben Alberstadt
Apr 28, 2014 at 9:26 pm
Agreed, Robert. You can certainly add the O’Connell/Plane Truth factor to the list.
Tommy Truth
Apr 28, 2014 at 8:17 pm
He’s playing better because the Nike Covert driver. It’s hands down the best driver on the market right now.
enrique
Apr 28, 2014 at 9:58 pm
That’s the reason…the driver…except for the fact that his stats have primarily improved around iron striking/GIR/scrambling.
Check out the article above.
Jim
Apr 29, 2014 at 1:17 am
Must be the driver …. Why did tiger suck when using it then?…
Nick
May 1, 2014 at 11:59 am
Ya’ll stop feeding the troll, please.
leftright
Apr 30, 2014 at 8:21 pm
Nike should stick to making expensive tennis shoes, not golf equipment. The only reason anyone plays the stuff is Tiger and it has taken pros who changed from other equipment awhile to get used to it and some have just disappeared…US Open champ, Lucas Glover, where is he. Where is Rory and where is Tiger? I don’t think NIKE has it’s heart in golf, it is just a second hand facade for them.
leftright
Apr 30, 2014 at 8:23 pm
Then why do I hit my G25 15 yards by it with the same shaft, both at 45″
It also feels funny when you hit it. I tried some NIKE stuff and it just failed.
luke keefner
Apr 28, 2014 at 8:09 pm
It was exciting watching him play this past week. Most of his televised putts looked like they were going in even when they didn’t. He looks fit and trim and like a contender if he can get a few more chances to play. I’ve always been a big fan of the guy. Maybe some Monday qualifiers? Really some of the guys on the alternate list for this week aren’t exactly tearing it up.