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.
Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.
Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.
First, meet Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.
Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter
The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.
Third, meet Martin Kaymer
Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.
Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler
Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.
Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger
Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
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Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s
5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag
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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.