Golf: Duval looks for return to form

It is not only Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie who are longing for that winning feeling to return.

Clarke has not won for eight months, Westwood for 17 months and Montgomerie for seven, but Open champion David Duval can sympathise.

He has still to taste success since the day at Lytham last July when he finally grabbed his first major title.

The 30-year-old American cannot think of a better time than the next four weeks, however, to start making the Open look like the launching pad to greater things many predicted at the time.

And he believes it can happen.

Duval is back on home turf this week for the Players’ Championship at Sawgrass in Jacksonville golf’s unofficial fifth major then his focus will turn to the Masters at Augusta on April 11-14.

‘‘This year has been a wreck so far, but the season is young and my game is getting back to the point that I want. I’m excited about that,’’ he said during a break in practice.

‘‘I’m just trying to get back to where I was pre-injuries. They really wrecked my swing, but I feel I’m getting close.

‘‘Although I missed the cut at Doral (three weeks ago) that’s the best I’ve felt on the golf course for a long time.

‘‘Then I played well last week (at Bay Hill), but derailed myself for one reason or another each day.

‘‘I had it going and made a double bogey six on the 18th on Saturday, and then I had a nine on Sunday. But for those, it might have been a different story.’’

Instead Tiger Woods achieved his first win of the season, Duval was only 22nd and the style he showed at Lytham remains bubbling under the surface.

‘‘I had a tremendous feeling of accomplishment,’’ Duval replied to a question about what winning the Open had done for his peace of mind.

‘‘I had walked away from Augusta for four years feeling like I should have won it a couple of times for sure and didn’t get the trophy (he was second, sixth, third and second).

‘‘I really felt like I knew I had it in me, but until you do it nobody will believe you that you feel that way.

‘‘The thing that I felt greatest about (at Lytham) was not winning, but how I played on Saturday and Sunday. I really managed my game.’’

After surviving the halfway cut with only two shots to spare and standing seven behind Montgomerie, Duval moved into the joint lead with a 65 and then won by three with a closing 67.

An incredible 13 players were separated by one shot with a round to go and Duval added: ‘‘To go out and really take over in the first seven holes is what I think of and really still look back on with a lot of pride.’’

Despite not having won since, Duval has a sense of the new major season arriving at just the right time for him.

‘‘I feel like I have a good chance at Augusta, but each time you have to prepare properly and you have to make some putts. I’m putting very well, though.

‘‘After winning one major you certainly go in knowing it’s there for you. I feel great about that.’’

Duval is back this week at the course where he rose to world number one for the first time with victory three years ago.

‘‘This might not be the right thing to say, but that was the first major championship I won.’’

Some people feel that about the Players, and although many do not put it in the same class as the Masters, US Open, Open and US PGA, it is certainly one the stars all want to put on their records.