David Duval
We might not make what athletes in other sports make, but we have greater longevity and we do have certain freedoms to do things they can't do. Like stay home one week and play the next week.Collection: Sports
What I'm saying is that, unlike a lot of portrayals of me, I'm not hiding behind the sunglasses. I'm out there working. I'm not trying to sell anybody anything, but I do realize we're entertainers.
I was in the middle of the golf tournament trying to make birdies and I was just having a blast. So that probably qualifies as having a greater appreciation.
But you know, I'm just not a quitter.
Confidence is such a fragile and precious thing.
And if people do like me, I think it's because I'm a stand-up guy.
I think about what I say. I don't give stock answers. I'm not trying to cultivate an image with the public, like several of the top players do.
I love hitting the ball, controlling the ball. And yeah, even the roar of the crowd. I enjoy the roar of the crowd probably less than some players and more than some. But I'm not out here to be a celebrity.
I know the other side. I know what awful golf is.
You don't have to hit perfect shots all the time here. The variety of shots you get to play, the shots you sometimes have to hit along the ground, it's just a lot of fun to me.
The way I grew up playing, and the way most Americans have grown up, is that you hit the ball up in the air and then it stops where it lands.
I've seen the bottom and I know the difference between good golf and bad golf.
I didn't do anything spectacular when I won the Open in 2001. I hit the ball good, not great. I putted good, not great, but I think I missed maybe two putts inside eight feet all week.
You do what you need to if you're serious about playing great golf.
I went to Q-school knowing that I could play well and get through.
You've got to make an effort on your own. Some people don't even try.
It's a silly old game.
Maybe that's some of the reason I feel so good today. Maybe I finally realised that it's just a game.
But just like I've always said when people complain about tee times, 'I just want a tee time. Just give me one so I can play.'
At the U.S. Open, you're going to make bogeys.
I've just been working hard, trying to get some good stuff to come out.
I may not look it when I'm playing, but I think I'm a fun guy to hang with when I'm relaxing.
We're often portrayed as rich, spoiled athletes who play a game for too much money.
I realize what it means to be financially comfortable, and I want to be that. But I'm lucky enough to be in that position. And I'm also careful. I save 38 percent of my earnings after expenses, before taxes.
When I'm swinging well, nobody hits the golf ball any better than I do.
I love competing.
But more than that, I wanted my wife and my family to see how I can actually play this game. They haven't seen me at my best, and I want them to.
I'm content. I want to have better success in the tournaments than I've had, but I know I'm playing well, so I'm happy with that.
The best way to explain it is that I'm not yearning anymore, on or off the course. I appreciate what I have. I feel like I'm blessed.
I slowly continued to compensate for the physical problems I was having and ended up completely destroying my swing, my set-up, my posture. Everything was gone.
It's easy at times to win golf tournaments and shoot 59, and sometimes it's hard to post an 85.Collection: Golf
Confidence comes from hard work. It comes from facing different situations and making putts. It comes from knowing you've worked on the right things, so when you get under the gun, you can execute what you've practiced.Collection: Softball
A lot of players are slow to change, you're playing good,( you think) why do I want to mess with that ? It takes a lot of testing, a lot of practice and observation of the ball, especially under competitive circumstances, to realize this is a better product and I need to start using it.Collection: Change
But just like I've always said when people complain about tee times, 'I just want a tee time. Just give me one so I can play.Collection: Play