Duval Opens Up About "Gigantic Financial Hit"

A forthright David Duval was also cryptic about his TMZ-reported foreclosure, saying it was not a foreclosure but instead a long and painful negotiation with his lender that has been resolved.

First, from Doug Ferguson's lengthy story, the former Open Champion and World No. 1 admits it's distracted him.

More of it likely is due to the stress of financial problems at home.

“It’s been a very big distraction,” Duval said. “I have the weight of this on me.”

His wife, Susie, likes to be on the road with him and their children — Brayden and Sienna, along with three children from her previous marriage. She has been dealing with the bank and the home, and hasn’t gone to a tournament with Duval since New Orleans the last week in April. That was the last time Duval made the cut.

“This kind of thing can break us or hold us together, and we’re tighter than ever,” Duval said. “We’re more in love than ever. It’s a hugely stressful time, especially when information is out there that’s inaccurate. She’s been an angel. I think she’s the greatest thing ever. She’s my hero. I tell her that every day.”

And talking to Garry Smits:

"Like a lot of people in the past few years, I made a real estate investment that didn't go well," Duval said. "There is no foreclosure. That is 100 percent wrong but the web site that started that is a gossip site, no more. They never made any attempt to contact me."

Duval said he has been in constant communication with his bank to work out a resolution that will not involve foreclosure. He did not reveal specific details but he said "everyone's happy."

Phil On Playing Bethpage's 7th As A Three-Shotter

Brendan Prunty gives us a sneak preview of the Barclays big debut at Bethpage Black and notes one key change to the PGA Tour plans for the 7th hole compared to the USGA's U.S. Open setup.

During the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Opens, the USGA played it as a 500-plus yard par-4. At the end of next month, it will play as a 550-yard-plus par-5 for The Barclays. While Mickelson continuously professed his love for the course and the New York-area galleries, the changes at the seventh were welcome news.

“I’ve always been a fan of the original designer’s interests in how a golf hole is designed to play from its inception,” Mickelson said. “As opposed to somebody else who comes in and tries to alter it for their own benefit or ego.”

And Yet Another Clarification About The 2016 Olympic Golf Field Makeup

So today I noted Garry Smits's item pointing out that only a maximum of 4 players from one country inside the top 15 can make the Rio 2016 field of sixty competing for Olympic gold.

Earlier, Ryan Ballengee had listed the field if 2012 held a golf competition and eight Americans would have been in the field.

It turns out, I've learned both reports were correct.

Here's where the confusion lies: the current field makeup would have allowed for the 2012 field as outlined by Ballengee. But a pending change in the field structure, reportedly requested by the IOC to comply with their guidelines in similar fashion to the controversial Jordan Wieber situation that is causing so much heartache, will be enacted next year. This will then mean that inside the top 15 for the Olympic golf field, only four players from one country can make the Olympic field.

It will be very interesting come 2016 to see who gets eliminated by this IOC mandated change, but it's almost assuredly going to be controversial.

Shark: Seve Got Ball Rolling On Golf's Olympic Return

Bill Dwyre attended an Omega gathering and talked to Greg Norman who gave Seve and his ownself a bit of credit for starting the ball rolling on golf's return to the Olympic Games.

I have no idea whether it's accurate or not, but considering the source, I'm going to call nonsense on this one.

"I remember when it started," Norman said. "It was a practice round, in 1984, here at Wentworth [England]. We were getting ready for a World Match Play . . . Seve mentioned the Olympics, and I was kind of taken aback. I hadn't thought about it, didn't know much about the concept."

But Ballesteros wanted Norman on board, and Norman studied the concept thoroughly. After Ballesteros died of cancer last year at 54, Norman helped keep the campaign alive, while never forgetting Ballesteros' role.

"I give Seve as much credit as anybody," Norman said. "And here we are today, talking about golf in the Olympics."

And while we're making it up as we go...

But Norman said that although losing upset him, it remains too important to golf to take advantage of this opportunity for the international boost the Olympics can bring.

"If we don't do this well," he said, "and don't get golf back in the 2020 Games, then shame on us."

Ah, psst, Gregster, golf's in 2020 no matter how dull the 72-hole stroke play is in '16. Just an FYI for you, our Olympic golf leader.

Interestingly, Helen Ross reviews the Olympic golf movement, what players are saying and updates the progress of the Rio course and somehow never mentions Norman's role. And it's not an oversight on her part.

One More Olympic Golf Follow-Up: Field Size And Beds

Some have wondered why golf's 2016 return features (A) a dull format and (B) small fields of 60 players. The dullness of the format is the result of asking players for their input and maybe a shortage of foresight by the International Golf Federation, but the field size is directly a result of the IGF's shrewd political maneuvering with the International Olympic Committee worried about...beds.

Yes, the vaunted IOC would not like a larger Olympic golf field because they are worried about too many requests for Olympic Village housing. Fine, I get it, this is a big operation.

However, golf may be different. After all, does anyone think anyone in the current world top 15, used to high-end accommodations will stay in a glorified dorm room bunk bed in 2016?

1. Luke Donald – Great Britain
2. Tiger Woods – U.S.A.
3. Rory McIlroy – Great Britain OR Ireland
4. Lee Westwood – Great Britain
5. Webb Simpson – U.S.A.
6. Adam Scott – Australia
7. Bubba Watson – U.S.A.
8. Jason Dufner – U.S.A.
9. Matt Kuchar – U.S.A.
10. Justin Rose – Great Britain
11. Graeme McDowell – Great Britain OR Ireland
12. Zach Johnson – U.S.A.
13. Hunter Mahan – U.S.A.
14. Steve Stricker – U.S.A.
15. Ernie Els – South Africa

I'm guessing some of the bottom tier players and many of the women, who are more likely to embrace the Olympic spirit, will take up the coveted beds. But on the men's side it's hard to see anyone in the world top 100 choosing a dorm room over their normal luxury lodging.

"A bit like those spectators who wear golf shoes to championships"

The Guardian's Marina Hyde, in her daily Olympic dispatch on the Greenwich scene yesterday for the London 2012 equestrian events:

At Greenwich, despite the sunny skies, there were innumerable pairs of Hunter wellies, for the simple reason that you never know how it's going to turn out. Empty seats scandal in the morning, shepherd's warning.

Even more clearly in evidence were the hundreds wearing riding boots – a bit like those spectators who wear golf shoes to championships, giving them the air of people who imagine they might be called on to the greens at any time and asked to replace Tiger Woods if he goes to pieces.

I will say that the Open Championship crowds featured a surprising number of metal spike sounds, something you almost never hear anymore.

Video Confirmation: Both Daly And Feherty Are Nuts!

I missed the season finale of Feherty last night but I'm guessing there will be repeat airings for the next few weeks. And this is worth watching on a big screen because it's just that insane.

TMZ Report May Explain Why David Duval Is Much More Willing To Talk These Days

Never one to give the impression that he enjoyed answering questions or in general, talking, David Duval has been working for ESPN these days and was in the Open Championship media center longer than anyone a few weeks ago. For someone so reserved it's been a refreshing change. There may be a reason. TMZ reports Duval has a house in foreclosure.

With $18 million in PGA Tour earnings and at one time a massive deal with Nike, I hate to ask, but one does wonder where the money went?

As a former Open Champion, the Daily Mail's crack reporter Daily Mail Reporter, took special interest in the story.

Corrected: Only Top Four Top 15 Americans Would Have Made 2012 Olympic Golf

There is a catch in the Olympic qualifying that I forgot about when posting this item last week but which Garry Smits got right in a post updating the status of golf in the Olympics with a list of the men and women who would have qualified this year had London included golf.

The key takeaway that might surprise people: the top 15 in the world golf rankings qualify with no more than four players per nation. That means only four Americans would have made it even though there are eight in the top 15 (Tiger Woods, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner).

In light of the controversy of world champion Jordyn Wieber not qualifying for the gymnastics all-around due to a similar rule only allowing a certain number of athletes from a country, I wonder if we are headed for a situation like it in 2016?

"Now, if the USGA would just stop slowing down play and increasing the cost of maintenance, and stop not having any control on the equipment, that would help."

I just love reading how we've transitioned from gently suggesting that chasing distance might be causing the scale of the game to go in the wrong direction, to flat out hostility toward the governing bodies. And it's well deserved!

Tom Mackin, interviewing Pete Dye in this month's Golf Magazine.

They have let the clubs get completely out of control. These guys today aren't stronger than Palmer or Nicklaus were -- it's the equipment. If they could help the high-handicappers and not the pros, that would be all right.

So you favor rolling back the ball?

Hell, yes. I have a letter written in 1923 by Donald Ross, who said the ball was getting out of control. That's 89 years ago. When it finally causes real financial trouble, something will happen. You just can't keep escalating the costs all the time.

And John Huggan caught up with Tom Kite in Scotland On Sunday. The former U.S. Open Champion and all-around USGA supporter has little in the way of nice things to say about the governing body.

“The belly putters and long putters are legal and both are wonderful ways to putt,” he says. “But I don’t think they are good for golf. When it comes to equipment, the USGA and the R&A have been very neglectful. It all goes back to the Ping case in the early 1980s. When the authorities tried to make a rule about the shape and width of grooves on irons they found themselves being sued. And, because they didn’t have the money to risk losing, they ended up having to settle. Which was a disaster. They backed down and haven’t stood up to anything else since.

“It can’t be good for the manufacturers to run the game. The equipment is a huge part of why golf is struggling to grow. Yet the manufacturers say that people are having more fun. Well, if that is so, why aren’t they playing? The answer is simple. Ask anyone who doesn’t play golf why they don’t and they typically give one of two answers. Either the game is too expensive or it takes too long to play.”

Are Average Golfers Anchoring To Great Advantage?

I'm catching up on the week's chatter, so forgive me if you saw some of the pre-Canadian Open talk about a possible ban on anchoring long putters. Rick Young at Score Golf featured some intriguing comments from players in Canada and one stood out:

"The USGA and R&A will have a tough time changing a rule that hurts the average player," Pernice said. "Belly putters and long putters are helping average golfers. They don't want to take them away. I think it has to be a rule for competition at the highest level. If they do away with it, it does some injustice to the average player. We want average players to get as many advantages as possible. I don't want it taken from amateurs who may not play anymore because putting has them so frustrated they don't want to play anymore."

We are well aware that a lot of pros are getting an advantage from anchoring, but are average players really gaining much from anchoring?

Leaving London 2012

After a quick vacation I took in the festivities in London 2012 and had a fantastic time. Despite the various boondoggles and controversies--of which there are many currently festering--the city is functioning well and the one event I was able to get into--beach volleyball--was absolutely fantastic, with an energetic crowd, stunning (temporary) venue and close matches.

Before boarding, a few quick thoughts:

- Golf is going to have to step it up to compete with the other sports for attention. Sadly, the current 72-hole stroke play format ensures it will get little attention and after watching the sensitive dynamics between teammates in beach volleyball and in other sports, we are completely blowing the Olympic opportunity by not showing the world that there is no more fascinating, intelligent, emotional, dramatic and beautifully awkward sport than golf when played with a teammate under Olympic pressure. So Tiger, since you helped influence this format, could you help influence its undoing now? Please?

- The empty seat fiasco, laid out beautifully by James Lawton in the Independent today, is as bad as you'd suspect. Tickets were difficult to get and for everyone here who tried and failed, or for visitors like me, it's insulting to see so many empty seats when you'd be willing to hand over good money to see an event. I'm less annoyed by the extensive dignitary seats going unfilled than I am by the large blocks in normal seating that went unsold. Most galling was turning on the BBC to see Caroline Wozniacki play at Wimbledon on a beautiful Saturday evening against a Great British athlete in front of maybe 1/3 the capacity of centre court, a session I tried to buy tickets for multiple times. Imagine how the residents who struck out must have felt.

-I will miss the papers terribly. The Guardian, Telegraph, Times, Independent and the tabloids are pulling out all the stops and while the coverage online is super and a must for your Olympic reading enjoyment, there is nothing like starting the day with a beautifully designed newspaper full of great writing and photography.

-The BBC here is remarkable. The coverage is extensive, easy to find and lacking many of the pomp that Americans seem to love and sports fans get annoyed with. But the jingoistic homerism really undoes their credibility, with the low point coming Sunday night by showing announcer reaction to a third place performance in women's swimming. NBC may be pro-American, but I don't think we'll ever see a replay of Dan Hicks and Rowdy Gaines rooting on someone to win a medal!

Cheers!