Today, David Duval and his stepson Nick Karavites won the PNC Father-Son Challenge at Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. They shot a 10-under par 62 to win to shoot 21-under par and win by one stroke. This is a special golf tournament that features mostly Hall of Fame winners and their sons.
It was a special win for David and Nick. Although they were long shots to win, David told his wife and Nick’s mother shortly before the tournament that he thought they had a good chance to win. And David Duval is not given to over-statement one bit. Neither is the Duval family; I know his dad and sister. Yet David Duval had not won a professional golf tournament for fifteen years. How’s that for overcoming adversity.
At one time, David Duval was the best golfer in the world, even during the early reign of Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour. David Duval was #1 in Sony rankings. Surprisingly, the last tournament that David Duval won until today was the 2001 British Open, which is one of the four majors in the world. After that, Duval’s career went downhill fast, and he was never able to right the ship. I thought it was rather heart-breaking watching him competing on the PGA Tour in succeeding years, trying to get his game back. It just wasn’t happening. He finally lost his exemption on the Tour. In recent years, Duval has done an excellent job as a television commentator of some PGA Tour tournaments. Hats off to David Duval and his step-son Nick Karavites.
Two 13-year old players with good-looking golf swings who played in this tournament for the first time were Retief Goosen’s son Leo Goosen and especially John Daly’s son Little John Daly. One wonders if Little John, who dressed loudly with the same clothing design as his dad, will follow in papa John’s footsteps in golf. And I though John Daly’s long and silky golf swing, that can hit a ball a mile, looked as good as ever. I expect this Daly team, who played this tournament for the first time and finished a respectable 13th place, will be a fixture in this tournament for years to come.
And it was good to see Jack Nicklaus and his son Jackie competing together. This tournament is about family, so it adds some joyful diversity the televised pro golf scene.
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