Woods expects Duval to make up for lost time

Tiger Woods today predicted David Duval will become a force again.

For the first time since they were partners together in the 2001 World Cup in Japan, the two Americans played side by side in a practice round for the USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

While Woods this week celebrates equalling Greg Norman’s record of 331 weeks as world number one Duval, the last player to topple him from that spot, is down in 512th place.

This week sees the 2001 Open champion, who quit the sport for seven months because he fell out of love with life on tour, play just the third event of his comeback.

In his first two he finished 154th out of 156 at the US Open and joint 135th out of 144 at last week’s International. In between he flew to Britain for the Open at Troon, but withdrew before the start because of back trouble.

“I think he’s on the right track,” said Woods, whose reign at the head of the rankings could be ended on Sunday by either Ernie Els or Vijay Singh.

“He’s hitting some golf shots now that are solid, they are controlled and the cool thing about him is that you could see his excitement level is back.

“He will get back, there’s no doubt about that.”

Woods and Duval were on the course at 6.30am and did not have to wait long for an incident that both will long remember.

Hitting his second shot to the par-five second, Woods was suddenly confronted by a fan who appeared out of nowhere down the right-hand side by the banks of Lake Michigan.

“He came like he was running out of the lake,” said Woods.

“He was huffing and puffing and having a hard time breathing and he had a hat with Tiger on it and he wanted me to sign it.

“He said a few things that were pretty funny and we were all just busting up laughing. Put it this way, you had to be there in order to really appreciate the story. It’s one of those things you’ll never forget.”

Back in the state where his professional career started in 1996, Woods is under the microscope again – this time to see if he can end more than two years without a Major and nearly 10 months without a stroke play victory.

Since his 2002 US Open triumph nine different players have won the nine Majors, the most recent of them fellow American Todd Hamilton at Troon.

Everybody accepts now that Woods is no longer held in the awe he was but a third-place finish in the Buick Open two weeks ago got his juices flowing again.

“Things are starting to come together and it’s very exciting,” he stated.

“If I had given myself some chances through the (last nine) Majors I’d be bothered a lot more than I am.

“But I feel like I probably should have won the last two Open Championships (he was fourth and ninth) and I feel like I’m playing better.”

Padraig Harrington is of the opinion that Woods might never get back to the dominance of 2000, when he won the US Open by 15 strokes and the Open at St Andrews by eight.

“I think a lot of players have caught up. He looked at the Buick to be right back where he was, but even if he got back to that he’s never going to be that far ahead. He could have runs of a couple of months and things like that, but I think the other players have closed the gap.

“Young guys coming out are prepared to win straightaway now – they’re not too worried about who they are competing against.”

World number eight Harrington heads a 29-strong European contingent, all hoping to end a 74-year barren spell in the event which stretches back to Scottish-born Tommy Armour.

The race for the Ryder Cup is entering the home straight for many of them - and for the Americans the finishing line comes on Sunday.

Six of their players – Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry and David Toms – are certain of their places, but even 46th-placed Joey Sindelar still has a chance to claim one of the 10 automatic spots.

Jeff Maggert is 13th but now needs one of Hal Sutton’s two wild cards because he has withdrawn as his wife is due to give birth to twins.