David Duval

The International:
Second Round Notebook

By Joe E. Cervi, Rockiesgolf.com columnist

ASTLE ROCK, Colo. - In 1995, as a PGA Tour rookie, David Duval had a chance to win the International.

The No. 2 player in the world hasn't sniffed the Castle Pines leaderboard since.

That all changed this week as Duval finished Friday's play with 25 points under the modified Stableford scoring system. He made eight birdies Friday, nine if you count the one he made to finish up his first round bright and early Friday morning.

"I haven't been in here in awhile," Duval said as he entered the interview room at Castle Pines Friday. Despite his recent raking over the coals by the media over Ryder Cup compensation, Duval was more than happy to answer a myriad of questions.

"I don't want y'all to stop talking to me because that would mean I'm not playing good. And I'd miss you. I might not miss a few people in some other places, but ..."

Duval got off to a great start Friday. He made an 8-foot-3 birdie putt that capped his first round, which was suspended Thursday because of darkness.

"The flags here are 8-feet long and we measured my mark in case somebody moved my coin," Duval said. "I was three inches beyond the flag."

Duval didn't practice any 8-foot-3 putts on the practice green before heading out.

"I don't subscribe to that theory because you start grooving them and then you miss," Duval said. "I didn't even practice the same break."

He then birdied No. 1 -- the 644-yard par-5 that has given him fits in the past.

"That was a bonus," he said. "One of the reasons I haven't played well here in the past is I haven't done well on the par-5s. Those are so important here, and I think I've only made five birdies on the par-5s since 1995. I don't know if I've ever even made an eagle here (he hasn't)."

Duval, a 27-year-old enigma wrapped up in a pure golf swing, touched on everything from his birdie barrage to his chance to help make a wish come true for an ailing fan.

• Love Shoulders Load at Castle Pines • Denver's Wiebe No Longer Clueless • Sergio Garcia Makes Golf Fun Again • Complete Coverage from The International • Past articles by Joe E. Cervi

"I teed off at like 12:12 (Thursday) and I started hitting balls on the range at 10," Duval said. "It was more of a feel thing. I just didn't feel comfortable, and I haven't felt comfortable, over the ball since Hartford and the British Open. It felt like I was tense.

"It paid off because I'm real happy with what I've done the past two days."

He apparently found his comfort level. In 36 holes thus far, Duval made 15 birdies and five bogeys. Duval also met with Jesse Peetz, a 13-year-old boy from Nebraska who suffers from a rare blood disorder.

"I don't know if it was so much I did for him or it might be what he did for me," Duval said, captivating the normally cynical media. "It's great to look and listen to him talk and see things through his eyes.

"Toward the end of last week, I just started laughing about what was going on (with the Ryder Cup flap) and I was pretty sure that it wasn't all that important. My guess that it might not be important was certainly confirmed this week. I mean, we make much ado about nothing at times.

"I have been through it. You know, who really gives a damn if I finished 10th last week and lost and got cut up (by the media)? I mean, does it really matter? No."

STRANGE BIRD

	Stephen Ames

Eagles are fairly common at the International. Just not on hole No. 2. It is a 408-yard par-4 that requires a 3-wood or long iron off the tee, short of a creek and a bunker that runs the length of the green. And the green is only about 15 yards wide.

Friday, Stephen Ames knocked in an 8-iron from 175 yards -- he hit a 3-iron so bad off the tee he had to hit 8-iron -- for a rare two. So rare, in fact, that it was only the third one in the tournament's 14-year history.

"I've been playing really well for the about two months," Ames said. "But this is the first week where my putting is matching my ball-striking."

Ames, in case you were wondering, is 35 years old and was born in Trinidad (to an English father and a Portuguese mother). He lives in Canada and finished 83rd on the money list in 1998.

Oh, and his grandmother was a 20-time Trinidad & Tobago golf champion.

FAMILY AFFAIR

David Sutherland has made the weekend cut the past two years and he made no bones about going for a third straight in the Rocky Mountains.

With 21 points after two rounds, Sutherland has himself in position to make a Sunday run.

"I've had a little taste of the action on Sunday and I'll tell you what, I'd like to get another taste of it," he said. "I admit, I liked it a little better when there were just 24 players on Sunday. I remember two years ago, I actually had a bad Sunday and didn't make many points. My brother (Kevin, who is also playing this weekend) finished fourth and in an interview they asked me after the tournament if it was comforting to look at the leaderboard and see that my brother was in fourth place.

"I said no, it was comforting looking at the leaderboard knowing there were only 24 guys playing."