Ex-No. 1 David Duval Fights For Survival

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- David Duval, once the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world and a British Open champion, began play Wednesday at PGA Tour qualifying school.

That's Bruce Springsteen singing at the Holiday Inn lounge, Donald Trump counting dollars as a night auditor, or Chef Paul flipping burgers. But here he is at Bear Lakes Country Club, the last PGA Tour player to shoot 59, among 170 golfers hoping to survive six rounds as one of the top 25 (plus ties) that secure full exempt status next season.

"I'm not above going to Q School like anyone else," Duval said.

All the same, there's several thousand places he'd rather be this week -- although one of them may not be in Tiger's shoes.

Until the last minute, Duval had convinced himself he could find something better to do this week. After missing the cut at the season finale last month at Disney World and dropping out of the top 125 money winners receiving full exempt status next year, he left planning to compete in 2010 on sponsor exemptions. Besides, on the strength of a tie for third in June's U.S. Open, he's eligible for the season's first three majors -- the Masters, U.S. Open and British.

Then he decided to show up and play.

"In this game, we have to earn what we get," he said. "You have to earn your status, you have to earn your place. My play the last few years, I've lost that.

"If I wanted to play, I needed to come. I feel comfortable I will get some exemptions, but I don't want to count on it. Why not come here and work some more?"

Six holes into opening day, Duval could have been excused for reconsidering.

Winds from an arriving storm front greeted golfers with wind gusts as high as 40 mph, and Duval double-bogeyed two of his first six holes, both of them par 5s. He was 4 over and the day's conditions weren't going to get easier.

"I'm doing what everybody else is doing, trying to gain access to the arena where I want to participate."
- David Duval Duval, however, didn't wilt or get blown away. He birdied Nos. 7 and 9 to make the turn 2 over. At No. 13 he hit 6 iron on the 170-yard par-3 to one foot. He made two strong par saves and then came home with a birdie-birdie finish to post 1-under 71.

That's good for a tie for 11th, four shots behind the 5-under 67 by first-day leader Troy Merritt, a Nationwide Tour player out of Boise State.

"It was probably easier knowing it was playing hard," Duval said of the comeback. "If it's beautiful and calm, and you start out rough like that, it'd probably be harder to stay patient."

Since the World Golf Ranking were implemented in 1986, 12 different players have held the No. 1 ranking. None of them ever returned to Q School. Until Duval.

Interestingly, this is only his second trip.

Duval's one and only previous appearance was in 1993. He missed the cut by one shot and played the Nationwide Tour where he won twice on the way to advancing to the big tour.

That leaves the rest of this week a mystery.

"I'm not sure how to approach it," he said. "It's not something I've done. It felt like we were out there all day today. Now, five more of this. I'm trying to pace myself and conserve as much energy as I can."

Physical ailments and a slump took the magic that between 1997 and 2001 produced 13 victories, including the 2001 British Open. It was easy to figure Duval would never be heard from again. He played in only eight combined events between 2003-05. In 2008, playing on a special medical exemption, he competed in 20 events but made only five cuts, ranking 219th on the money list.

Now look at him.

With or without full exempt status, Duval knows he's going to play next year. That's the benefit of his past successes. He probably carries the least amount of pressure of any player in this week field. Still, he was once so far beyond that dirt-under-the-fingernails labor. So proving he can still earn his way has become personal.

"Coming in here and doing it and working," he said. "I'm doing what everybody else is doing, trying to gain access to the arena where I want to participate."

Again.