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 You are in: Special Events: US Masters  |
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Tuesday, 3 April, 2001, 15:17 GMT 16:17 UK
Duval confident of bouncing back
Duval believes he can go for glory this year
David Duval is confident that his injury problems will not affect his bid to win the Masters.
The American has had three weeks off with tendinitis in his right wrist, but is hoping he can continue his strong run at Augusta. He has finished second, sixth and third in his last three tournaments there and is upbeat. "Obviously, I've not had the best preparation the last month and sure I would have liked to have played more, but my wrist is doing great and I don't think it will be an issue." Duval pulled out of recent tournaments the Bay Hill Invitational, Players Championship and BellSouth Classic because of the injury.
He was desperate to play, but says he would not have risked long-term injury to be part of the field. "I'm not playing against doctors' advice or with their reluctant consent. "If I have to pull out I will - I'm not going to turn a four or five-week injury into a six or eight-month one. "But since I've starting hitting balls again I've been able to practise all I wanted. "I think I am in a good position. Outside expectations are not high, but I am striking the ball so much better than I was last year." Duval believes that the most important quality for any player aiming to win the Masters is patience. "All a player's skills are able to shine here. Sometimes the course requires a great three-iron and sometimes it's a sand-wedge you play 40 feet away from the hole.
"I just get a kick out of that. Sometimes the best way to access the hole is by chipping rather than putting from the wrong side of the green. "But you know that if you hit quality shots you can pick up a lot of strokes." Last April Duval held the lead at the halfway point of the tournament. Vijay Singh then went past him and the American could not get back on terms. Duval went into the water at the par five 13th and his challenge ended when he drove into a sand-filled divot on the final hole. Duval's preparations were stalled again when rain suspended play on the second day of practice. Rain was forecast for the entire day but officials hoped to be able to resume practice play by midday (1700 BST). The Masters, the season's first major championship, begins on Thursday.
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See also:
26 Mar 01Â |Â Golf
03 Apr 01Â |Â US Masters
03 Apr 01Â |Â US Masters
02 Apr 01Â |Â US Masters
Top US Masters stories now:
Links to more US Masters stories are at the foot of the page.
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