Fifteen years ago, being one stroke back at a tournament like the HP Byron Nelson Championship would have been no big deal for David Duval, after all, back then he was the No. 1 player in the world.
These days, he’s ranked 890th, which made his 4-under 66 on Thursday all the more special. Duval trails Peter Hanson by a single stroke at the tournament in Irving, Texas. Duval last won a PGA title in 2001, when he notched his only Major – the British Open.
Sweden’s Hanson recorded six birdies and a single bogey. He was 5-under on the front nine alone.
Duval is tied for second with Australia’s Marc Leishman and Tim Wilkinson. Duval started on the back nine and was 1-under at the turn. He was back to even through 12 holes, then notched birdies on four of his last five holes, including a 57-foot putt that had the crowd roaring.
Eight players are tied for fifth at 3-under, including Americans Ryan Pallmer, Boo Weekley and John Huh. Defending champion Sang-Moon Bae is tied for 106th after struggling to a 3-over 73. Bae started on the back nine and was a mess early on, at 1-under through his first three holes, then recording four bogeys in a five-hole stretch to end the back nine.
He bogeyed No. 3, then birdied three in a row to make it 1-over, only to double-bogey No. 8.
GolfBlogger.co.uk 