GREGORY BOURDY CLICKETY-CLICKS TO LEAD IN SOUTH AFRICA

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Grégory Bourdy edged ahead of a large group on five under par as the Frenchman’s 66 gave him the first round lead at the Alfred Dunhill Championship.
The 30 year old shot six unanswered birdies to snatch a one shot lead over South African quartet Charl Schwartzel, Oliver Bekker, Louis de Jager and Darren Fichardt as well as English pair Richard Bland and Steve Webster at Leopard Creek, South Africa.
After birdieing the first Bourdy carded back-to-back gains at the fifth and sixth to turn in 32.
The three-time European Tour winner picked up further shots at the 11th and 12th before birdieing the short 16th from 20 feet.
The last time Bourdy hit the front of a tournament in South Africa he went on to become the first Frenchman to win the Telkom PGA Championship by a massive six strokes, before Schwartzel denied him the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit by winning the last tournament of the season.
“This isn’t an easy course so I’m very happy to have played well here,” Bourdy said of his start. “I played very solid, consistent golf. I had a lot of birdie opportunities, but to make six is good enough for me.
“I felt great with my irons today, so early on in my round I made birdies very quickly. But I’ve felt good about my game for a few weeks now and I’ve been waiting for a better performance. Now I have that opportunity this week.
“I love South Africa. I’ve played a lot of tournaments here, and the Telkom PGA Championship win was key in my career. I had just lost my European Tour card and I came here and played well.”
Of those a shot further back, pre-tournament favourite and 2005 winner Schwartzel also managed to avoid dropping a shot, and is now targeting back-to-back victories after his runaway success in Thailand last week.
“It’s a nice start,” he said. “Whenever you can start off with a five under it’s good. Like I always say you can’t win on the first day, but you can sure lose it.
“I’ve always liked the course. It always seems to suit my eye, and it’s got some sort of relaxing feel about it, so the combination goes well together.”
Webster, beaten in a play-off by Scott Jamieson at last week’s Nelson Mandela Championship presented by ISPS Handa, picked up where he left off as he carded five birdies in his bogey-free round.
Playing his 448th European Tour event but having gone more than five years without a victory, he had a hat-trick of birdies from the 13th, before further birdies at the third and fifth – his 12th and 14th.
“I got off to a good start being three under after six, but I should have been six-under,” said Webster.
“I missed three from eight feet in the first three holes, which was a bit frustrating, but then I got the rhythm with the putter. Hit it nice off the tee, some lovely irons, and tapped a few putts in, which makes all the difference.
“I’ve had four seconds in South Africa, and came so close last week. It would be nice to go one better, but I’ve just got to see what happens.”
Webster’s compatriot Bland – who took the 119th and last card last season - birdied three of his last four holes.

Tournament Leaderboard

	Pos		Player name		Nat		Hole		Par
	66		BOURDY, Grégory		FRA		06:40		-6
	67		FICHARDT, Darren		RSA		07:00		-5
	67		SCHWARTZEL, Charl		RSA		07:30		-5
	67		DE JAGER, Louis		RSA		11:20		-5
	67		BEKKER, Oliver		RSA		11:40		-5
	67		WEBSTER, Steve		ENG		12:10		-5

SCOTS' SCORES
Par 72
69 David Drysdfale (T12)
70 Scott Jamieson (T21)]72 Alan McLean (T53)
73 George Murray, Marc Warren (T69)
74 Callum Macaulay (T87)
75 Peter Whitefordd, Craig Lee (T100)
80 Scott Henry (T147).   

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GREAT SCOTT! HENDERSON PIPS HUTCHEON FOR PGA CUP PLACE

        SCOTT HENDERSON ... First PGA Cup team selection after 20 ye  as a professional

   IMAGE BY CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY 

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The North-east will have a representative in next year's GB and I team for the PGA Cup match against the United States at Slaley Hall, Northumberland next September - but it won't be, as expected, Tartan Tour supremo Greig Hutcheon from Banchory.
Sitting pretty in third place in the PGA play-offs at Antalya Golf Club, Turkey, with only one hole to play in weather-shortened 54-hole tournament, Hutcheon needed only a par or even a bogey to clinch automatic selection for a  first PGA Cup place alongwith tournament winner Richard Wallis from England and Ireland's David Higgins.
But Hutcheon double-bogeyed the last hole for a one-over 72 and fell back into a tie for third place on three-under 210 with Scott Henderson (Kings Links Golf Centre) and Glenmuir club professional champion Gareth Wright (West Linton).
Henderson, 43-year-old Aberdeen-born former Northern Open champion and one-time European Tour Rookie of the Year, had come surging through the field over the second and third rounds after a moderate start.
He kept up the momentum from a closing four-under-par 67 for with a birdie 3 after a great wedge shot to within 4ft of the flagstick at the first play-off hole against Hutcheon and Wright, which gave "Scotty" a first-time PGA Cup team berth and also a place in next spring's BMW PGA championship at Wentworth.
Wallis, from Walmer and Kingsdown Golf Club, won the Titleist PGA Play-offs title for a second year in a row, this time by the comfortable margin of four strokes from Higgins. Wallis closed with a 70 for eight-under 205 to collect the £2,000 first prize.
Higgins hopes of landing the title evaporated with five bogeys in his closing nine holes, eventually signing for a 73 for 209 but he was delighted to finish second and secure further tour starts to add to those gained through his European Tour qualifying school success two weeks ago.
Also celebrating his place in the PGA Cup team after w0 years as a professional was Henderson, whose painstaking hours on the range in search of a swing thought finally paid off with a brilliant 67 to win
“I was playing so badly coming in this week. Three days before I came here I was down at the range trying to find some sort of swing and the first day I must have tried six or seven different techniques,” he said.
“The first day I was still hitting it poorly but then just stuck with something simple and it seems to have worked and I haven’t dropped a shot since the first hole of the second round.
“After leaving myself so far back after the first round, the main objective was to get a place in the PGA championship final at Wentworth, and I had resigned myself that that was all I was going to get but the wind was tricky and some of the boys flagged a bit coming in so one man’s loss is another’s gain and it’s an honour to be able to play in the PGA Cup.”
Early in their pro careers Henderson and Paul Lawrie were stablemates at the Kings Links Golf Centre, Aberdeen.
Paul Girvan, a former Walker Cup player who is Director of Golf at Kings Links Golf Centre, said:

"We're all delighted for Scott to gain PGA Cup team honours. It is fantastic to see all his hard work and dedication paying off. He really deserves this and will be a fantastic addition to the GB and I team in the match against the Americans."

 

FINAL TOTALS 
Par 213 (3x71)
205 Richard Wallis (Walmer and Kingsdown) 67 68 70 (£2,000)
209 David Higgins  (Waterville) 66 70 73 (£1,500)
210 Scott Henderson (Kings Links) 75 68 67, Gareth Wright (West Linton) 70 69 71, Greig Hutcheon        (Banchory) 71 67 72 (£1,016 each).
213 James Whatley (Morley Hayes) 70 74 69,Paul Streeter (Lincoln) 70 71 72, Barrie Trainor (Ireland)    70 71 72, Thomas Fleming (Frilford Heath) 71 69 73.
214 Jason Levermore (Clacton) 73 69 72
215 Adrian Ambler (Low Laithes) 73 73 69, Matthew Cort (Rothley Park) 71 71 73.
216 Paul Hendriksen (Dinnaton) 74 73 69
217 Matthew Dearden (Vale Hotel) 70 75 72
218 Craig Shave (Whetstone) 72 74 72, Lee Clarke   (Beeston Fields) 76 69 73
219 David Orr (Mearns Castle) 77 71 71, Mark Hooper (Rayleigh) 71 74 74
221 Andrew Butterfield (Sundridge Park) 70 82 69
222 Barry Taylor (Houghwood) 78 75 69
223 Steve Parry (North West GA) 75 77 71
224 Lee Thompson (Dudsbury) 75 79 70, David Ryan (Cahir Park) 78 70 76
225 Phil Abbott (John O’Gaunt) 78 73 74.

CAMERON, HENRY SOUND START AT LA CALA

Ellon's Ross Cameron and John James Henry (Clydebank and District) made solid starts to the Alps Tour Q School Stage 1 competition at La Cala Golf Resort on Spain's Costa del Sol today But Malcolm Isaacs (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre) struggled to a 76 and is joint 41st at the America course. Cameron (pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency) shot a one-under-par 71 to be lying fifth, thanks to birdies at the second, fifth, ninth and 18th to offset bogeys at the third, sixth and 13th. Henry matched the par of 72 for joint 12th place. Henry was two under par at the turn but bogeyed the 10th, 12th and 17th with only one further birdie, at the 11th. Isaacs had a triple bogey 6 at the short fourth and a double bogey 6 at the 12th in returning a four-over 76 which leaves him in joint 41st place and with a lot of ground to make up if he is to make it through to next week's Final Stage. Three courses are being used for Stage 1. England's Tom Shadbolt leads with a five-under 67 at the America course; Nick Flynn (England) leads with a one-under 70 at the Europa course, and England's Ben Montgomery is in a three-way tie for pole position on three-under 69 at the Asia course. TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES, GO TO THE ALPS TOUR WEBSITE CLICK HERE

TOM WATSON CONFIRMED AS US RYDER CUP CAPTAIN FOR GLENEAGLES 2014

FROM EUROSPORT (Reuters)

Tom Watson has been named United States team captain for the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, a move the Americans hope will end their run of losses in the biennial match against Europe.

• 
  Eurosport - Tom Watson

Watson succeeds Davis Love III as the American captain for the next edition of the biennial golf match between the US and Europe and received an instant stamp of approval from Tiger Woods.

A winner of eight Majors, including five Open Championships, the 63-year-old Watson joined a select group to lead the US team more than once and will become the oldest American captain in the event's history.
He will turn 65 in early September 2014, with the tournament scheduled for the 26-28th of that month.
"I was waiting 20 years to get the call again. I loved it the first time," said Watson, who led the US to victory in 1993, the last time the Americans won the Ryder Cup away from home.
"I've been a great fan of the Ryder Cup, always been watching, I get the same gut feeling just watching it at home on TV. It's a great honour to do it again and this time it is going to be 14 and a half points."
In a break from tradition, the PGA of America made Thursday's announcement on national breakfast television, the NBC's Today show.
Watson appeared live on the show and was scheduled to hold a news conference near the top of the Empire State Building later today.
In recent years, the US has picked a new captain for each Ryder Cup but the US PGA said it wanted to try something different after losing seven of the last nine Ryder Cups.
The most recent was just over two months ago in Chicago when the Americans lost a commanding four-point lead heading into the final day, which became known as the 'Meltdown at Medinah'.
Watson is the only man in the last 31 years to captain the US to victory in Europe.
"I've lived for that pressure, lived underneath that pressure all of my career and I just hope I can set the table for these players to go out," said Watson.
"I'm a stage manager, I set the stage for them and they go out and perform their act and in two years I hope that we can get it done."
Watson has been critical of Woods but the former world number one was among the first to applaud his appointment and declare his availability.
"I'd like to congratulate Tom Watson on his selection as Ryder Cup captain," Woods said.
"I think he's a really good choice. Tom knows what it takes to win, and that's our ultimate goal. I hope I have the privilege of joining him on the 2014 United States Team."
Watson played in four Ryder Cups - 1977, 1981, 1983, and 1989 - and lost a play-off for the 2009 Open at Turnberry at the age of 59.

EDITOR'S COMMENT: Was it all pre-arranged? Last Sunday (December 9), Tom Watson said in his post-tournament Press Conference at the Australian Open that he would not mind becoming US Ryder Cup team captain for a second time. Until that moment, he had not been quoted by anyone as a contender for the job at Gleneagles in 2014. Four days later, the PGA of America announce his appointment. Had Watson been approached before Sunday, which prompted his statement? Or did Watson's quote strike a chord with the PGA of America top brass and things escalated from there?

WALLIS RETAINS TITLEIST PGA PLAY-OFFS CROWN

REPORT FROM NATHANIEL SYLVESTER
PGA Press Officer
 
Richard Wallis overcame some mid-round swing gremlins to successfully defend his Titleist PGA Play-Offs crown in Turkey and realise his goal of qualifying for the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team.
The Walmer and Kingsdown ace triumphed by four strokes after an exciting battle with Ireland’s David Higgins which was made all the more intriguing as both struggled with their games over Antalya Golf Club’s  PGA Sultan Course.
Banchory’s Greig Hutcheon, who had been targeting one of the three PGA Cup spots, double-bogeyed the last to tie third with fellow Tartan Tour regulars Scott Henderson (Kings Links) and Gareth Wright (West Linton).
Henderson had surged through the field in weather-affected tournament with a four-under-par 67 and in the play-off for the final PGA Cup spot sustained his form with a brilliant wedge to four feet for a birdie at the first extra  hole with GB and I captain and fellow Scot Russell Weir looking on.
Lighting storms had wiped out play yesterday afternoon reducing the £15,000 event to 54-holes, and leaving the leading group of Wallis, Higgins and Hutcheon to resume their interrupted third round on the seventh tee but the leading two fought to find rhythm, particularly Higgins who trailed by two strokes standing on the par five 16th.
Wallis handed Higgins a glimmer of hope when he found water off the tee but a pitch to two feet enabled him to salvage par while Higgins missed his birdie putt from the same distance.
A hooked drive off the last cost Higgins a bogey on the last with Wallis sealing victory in style by chipping in off the green for a round of 70 to add to rounds of 67 and 68 for an eight-under-par total of 205 over the par-71 course.
“I’m absolutely over the moon. I came here hoping to finish in the top three and get a PGA Cup spot so I’m really pleased to have achieved that especially after the collapse of my swing on the back nine,” said Wallis
“The thing that made it a little bit of anti-climax was David chipping to two feet on 16 and missing his birdie. Had he holed that there would have been one shot in it playing the last two which would have made things a little different.”
Looming fatherhood is highest on Wallis’s immediate priorities but his longer term focus remains proving himself on tour so earning starts to the BMW PGA Championship among others is an opportunity he is eager to exploit.
“I’m looking forward to the playing opportunities next year but I’ll have to work hard at my game and hopefully I can make a few changes with my coach Paul Page,” he added.
“I hit some poor shots today but I got away with it but you are not going to be able to do that on tour courses and my aspiration is to play tour so I have got to make changes.”
Higgins hopes of landing the title evaporated with five bogeys in his closing nine holes, eventually signing for a 73 but he was delighted to finish second and secure further tour starts to add to those gained through his European Tour qualifying school success two weeks ago.
“I wanted to win but all I wanted was to hang on for the top two places and the tour starts that gets you,” he said.
“I know it’s an awful way to be thinking but I just couldn’t get it out of my head.
“Mentally I was bad and just hit bad shots. That’s not good enough but I’m delighted to get second and it would also be an honour to play in PGA Cup.”

Richard Wallis, David Higgins and Scott Henderson have qualified for the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team to play the United States at laley Hall next September.
Places in the European and Challenge Tour events will be confirmed once the respective tours have finalised their 2013 schedules. 

THIS WEEK'S SPANISH GECKO TOUR SCORES

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GUNN TRAILS MAN WHO SHOT A 59 ON ALL-AMERICAN PRO TOUR

iF Jimmy Gunn needed reminding - which he doesn't - of just how high the standard of play is on the All-American Professional Golf Tour he got it in this week's tournament when Corey Renfrew opened with a round of 12-under-par 59!
Renfrew added a 69 and shares the second-round lead on 14-under-par 128 with Tommy Medina (65-63).
Gunn is T31 - he made the cut by one shot - with a pair of 69s for four-under 138.
It's the sixth tournament of the All-American Pro Tour's winter schedule. The Legacy Golf Resort, near Phoenix is the venue and, as usual, the competition is over three rounds.  

BAD WEATHER HALTS JOHOR OPEN WITH LIPSKY IN LEAD

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE ASIAN TOUR
Nusajaya, Johor, Malaysia: Asian Tour rookie David Lipsky of the United States set the scorching pace at the US$2 million Iskandar Johor Open by holding the opening round lead at eight-under through 16 holes before play was abandoned due to inclement weather on Thursday.

Heavy thunderstorms and lightning threats forced play to be suspended at 1.34pm and with heavy rains showing no sign of letting up throughout the afternoon, 84 players will have to return at 7.15am on Friday to resume their round.

Australia’s Unho Park posted a flawless 65 to take second place while Korean-American Kevin Na signed for a 66 to take third place at the Horizon Hills Golf and Country Club.

South Africa’s Peter Karmis kept his hopes of securing his Tour card for next season alive when he returned with a 67 to take a share of fourth place with India’s S.S.P. Chowrasia, Philippines’ Angelo Que and Australia’s Darren Beck who is at five-under through 17 holes at the Asian Tour season-ending event.

Lipsky, who won his maiden Asian Tour title in Cambodia earlier this year, stood on the brink of extending his advantage to two when his tee shot on the par-three eight landed within two-feet of the pin.

The 24-year-old did not have the opportunity to tap in his birdie putt as the air horns began to blow, signalling the start of a play suspension which eventually led to it being abandoned.

“I had a two-footer for birdie and I was looking to make that and finish the round strong. I just made like three pars in a row before the delay so it didn’t stop any momentum. I would have preferred to sleep in but you can’t do anything about these weather conditions,” said Lipsky.

Despite putting himself into a good position on the leaderboard after the opening round, Park insisted he is solely focused on securing his Tour card for next season.

"I’m still trying to keep my card, that’s the focus. If I’m up there on the last day then it will be fantastic but right now, it will be a bonus if I can be inside the top-60," said Park, who is currently lying in 66^th place on the rankings.

Having finished tied-36^th in Thailand last week, Na is now hoping to shake off the effects of his long-distance travel from the United States and end his year on a winning note.

A graduate of the Asian Tour, the 29-year-old enjoyed his career breakthrough in Malaysia in 2002 before going on to achieve more success on the US PGA Tour where he won once last year.

“I was very pleased with how I played. I played very solid with seven birdies and only one bogey. I putted great and hit the ball good,” said Na.

“I got a good practice in Thailand. It was a long commute for me and got a little sick. I’ve got over that and I’m feeling better and better. Hopefully I can get it low and see where I am,” added Na.

Asian Tour Order of Merit contenders Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand and Australia’s Marcus Fraser are at one-under after 17 holes.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERBOARD

Par 72. Yardage 6,941 

65 Unho PARK (AUS).

66 Kevin NA (USA).

67 Peter KARMIS (RSA), Angelo QUE (PHI), S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND).

68 Daniel CHOPRA (SWE).

70 Michael TRAN (VNM), Sukree OTHMAN (MAS), ZHANG Lian-wei (CHN), Sam CYR (USA), Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA), Ron HARVEY JR. (CAN).

71 Wade ORMSBY (AUS), Peter GUSTAFSSON (SWE), Michael CAMPBELL (NZL).

 

Selected scores

Unfinished rounds

David LIPSKY (USA) -8 through 16 holes

Marcus FRASER (AUS) -1 through 17 holes

Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) -1 through 17 holes

Jbe KRUGER (RSA) Even-par through 17 holes

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FRASER ROBERTSON IS TUNISIA BOUND, THANKS TO MIDLAND ALLIANCE PRIZE

MEET FRASER ROBERTSON, the 20-year-old assistant professional at Elie Sports Club, Fife, writes Colin Farquharson.
Fraser won the free trip to the Tunisia Golf Festival (February 9 to 16) which was on offer to the low-scoring professional at this week's Midland Golfers Alliance fixture at Charleton golf course, Fife.
Edzell GC pro Alistair Webster actually had the lowest pro score but has other commitments for the week in question and, reluctantly had to turn down, the trip which was on offer from Menara Travel (London), organisers of the Tunisia Golf Festival.
Menara Travel originally wanted the low-scoring prize at four designated Alliance fixtures (North-east/Midlands/Edinburgh and East of Scotland/West of Scotland) to go to amateurs but the R and A's Rules of Amateur Status officials advised that the prize had a value of more than £500 which is the limit for amateurs.
But Alistair Webster's bad luck is Fraser Robertson's good fortune.
"The ground was frozen hard for this week's Midlands Alliance and when I arrived early I was sure it was going to be called off but, fortunately for me, it wasn't", said a delighted Fraser.
"The ball was bouncing all over the place but, like all Alliance golf fixtures played in mostly winter conditions, you make the best of it and have fun.
"I've never been to Africa so I am really looking forward to it."
The free trip for Fraser and the three other pros who win the prize at the NE Alliance, Edinburgh and East of Scotland and West of Scotland Alliances, starts at Manchester Airport.
Fraser lives at Gibliston Farm, Colinsburgh near Leven in Fife.       

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DANIEL POPOVIC LEADS BY TWO IN AUSSIE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE

By Steve Orme at Coolum, Omnisport 
 Daniel Popovic has posted a superb eight-under 64 to lead the Australian PGA Championship by two shots after a dramatic opening day that saw Greg Norman withdraw due to food poisoning.
Popovic, who won the 2012 Australasian PGA qualifying school, scorched around the Palmer Coolum Resort layout in sunny but windy afternoon conditions.
The 26-year-old birdied his first four holes and bounced back from his only bogey of the day at the par-five 15th with five straight birdies from the 17th hole.
Korean Min-Kyu Han's course record of 62 looked under real threat but Victorian Popovic parred his remaining six holes to finish at minus eight.
"That was some of the best golf that I've played in my life," Popovic said immediately after his round.
"There were times there where I even surprised myself of how confident I was with the way that I was hitting it."
Scott Strange leads the chasing pack after shooting a six-under 66 in the morning, one clear of Geoff Ogilvy, who was the next best of the afternoon players.
The 2006 US Open champion's opening round featured two eagles - at the par-five 5th and par-five 12th - to share third spot with China's Xin Jun Zhang and Singapore's Tze-huang Choo.
"I felt like I got away with it a bit, I mean the two eagles I had were a really long putt from off the green and a chip in", Ogilvy, who cannot remember the last time he had two eagles in a round, said.
"I kind of snuck away with a couple today ... I felt I was doing the best I could having five-under today."
Australian Open winner Peter Senior also made a bright start, carding a four-under 68 to sit in a four-way share of sixth.
Popular Northern Irishman Darren Clarke, playing alongside Ogilvy, signed for an opening-round 70.
The third member of the group, Robert Allenby, made a double bogey at the par-five 12th and bogey at the last to card a one-over 73.
Defending champion Greg Chalmers began his defence with an even-par 72 while South African Rory Sabbatini struggled to a four-over 76 on day one.
It was a dramatic start to the tournament on Thursday morning, with Norman forced to withdraw after just two holes due to illness.
After starting his round at the 10th hole at 7am local time, Norman battled to consecutive bogeys before shaking hands with playing partners Stuart Appleby and Jake Higginbottom on the 11th green.
"Greg Norman has been diagnosed with food poisoning and has been attended to by Dr. Barry Whelan at Mt. Coolum Medical Centre, who spent the morning with him and treated Greg's symptoms with appropriate medication," PGA of Australia CEO Brian Thorburn said.
"Dr. Whelan expects Greg to make a full recovery and has advised Greg to rest in his room in the meantime."
"While we're obviously disappointed for the fans who love to see Greg play in Australia, we wish Greg a speedy recovery."
Meanwhile, Queenslander Marcus Cain produced the shot of the day after a spectacular hole-in-one at the par-three 2nd, on the way to an opening 72.

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DAVID DUVAL STARTS COMEBACK AS STEPSON'S PARTNER THIS WEEKEND

FROM THE GOLF DIGEST WEBSITE
By DAVE SHEDLOSKI
ORLANDO -- David Duval can't help but feel snakebit when it comes to injuries. For good reason.
Duval, a former Open champion and No. 1 player in the world, has been dealt a series of health-related setbacks for more than a decade, starting with a bad back in 2000. 
His 2012 season, in which he made just three cuts in 17 starts, was plagued by chronic knee problems, and it came to an abrupt end in August after he broke his right foot in a freak home accident.

Despite walking with a noticeable limp, Duval is itching to indulge in some competitive golf, which is why he is teaming with stepson Nick Karavites this weekend in the PNC Father-Son Challenge at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
"I still feel like if I ever got healthy I can be a top-20 player. The trick is to get healthy," Duval said Wednesday. "You know, I don't like to complain. You just have to deal with the challenges put in your way. I couldn't play in the Fall Series. I couldn't compete in Q-School. I basically didn't touch a club for almost three months."
Duval, 41, suffered the foot injury literally by falling out of bed. His two small children ran screaming through their Denver house while playing one morning in early September, abuptly awakening their father. 
"I leapt out of bed in a panic thinking something was wrong, caught my foot on the sheet and fell on my back and my head. At least the kids were OK," he said, chuckling. "At first I thought I dislocated a toe. No, it was a clean break."
After earning just $32,936, Duval has only past champions status on the US PGA Tour. A winner of 13 tour titles, he has to rely on sponsor exemptions to enter tournaments. 
This week's 36-hole scramble format allows him to ease back into the game. His plans for 2013 are modest: get healthy and rebuild his game slowly to a level that he's accustomed.
"The goal for me this next year is to get my status back," he said. "I'm still working hard at it, and I know what I'm capable of."