The Week March 30-April 5
The Numbers Are Numbing
After David Duval's bellwether win in the BellSouth Classic,
which came on Opening Day of the baseball season, he's batting
.500 (4 for 8) in '99 and .324 (11 for 34) over the last 543
days. He has also eclipsed the single-season earnings mark he
set last year. Then there's this: In '97, when Tiger Woods won
the money title, he took home 4.8% of the total purse in events
he entered. In '98, Duval won 4.7%. This year he's at 9.7%--and
climbing.
PGA Duval is the first player to win four tournaments before the
Masters since Johnny Miller in 1974, and the first to come out
on top in the two events leading up to Augusta. Should Duval win
there, he would be the first to win three consecutive starts
since '97, when he won the Michelob, the Disney and the Tour
Championship. The last to win three consecutively scheduled
events was Gary Player (the '78 Masters, the Tournament of
Champions and the Houston Open).... Duval has earned $2,598,300,
$7,269 more than in '98, and leads the Tour in scoring (68.22),
putting (1.687 per green in regulation), greens in reg (73.6%),
birdies (5.07) and the all-around category (185).... Before
Sunday, Ladbrokes had Woods at 7 to 1 to win the Masters, with
Duval at 8 to 1. After Sunday Duval was 5 to 1, Woods 6 to 1.
SENIOR The two-round snowout at the Tradition, which was won by
Graham Marsh in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a first in tour
history.... Bob Duval shot a second-round 68, but couldn't
overcome an opening 73 in his bid to become part of the second
Duval family sweep in as many weeks. He tied for fifth.
LPGA By winning her second tournament of the year, the Longs
Drugs Challenge in Lincoln, Calif., Juli Inkster added to the
discrepancy between the tour's top five players and everyone
else. Karrie Webb, Inkster, Dottie Pepper, Kelly Robbins and Meg
Mallon have won a combined $1.6 million, or almost 25% of the
prize money this season.... Sherri Steinhauer, who finished
second, four behind Inkster, passed 20 players with her 69 in
blustery conditions last Saturday.
COLOR PHOTO: PHOTOGRAPH BY J.D. CUBAN Get my drift? The Tradition was left with snow choice: The event had to be called after 36 holes.
UP and Down
18-hole playoffs 36-hole majors
Mike (Fluff) Cowan Steve Duplantis
Callaway (ELY) Adams (ADGO)
Laura Davies Pia Nilsson
Links in Time Golf's Heart and Soul
