Tiger Woods and David Duval have had a great relationship. The PGA Tour stars were going toe-to-toe in the late 1990s and early 2000s while being good friends. However, the duo eventually cut contact with each other.
Tiger Woods and David Duval (Images: All from Getty)
Now, over a decade and a half after their last public appearance together, Duval has come out to give more details about their relationship. The top-rated golfer duo’s friendship was deemed to be at an all-time high when they faced off in a one versus one match play showdown on prime-time American television in 1999. Woods won the event. Reflecting on the time, Duval has now stated that they “were friends.”
The 52-year-old PGA Champions Tour star claimed that he was one of Tiger Woods’ “closer friends.” He said that Woods ‘trusted’ him and “didn’t give a c**p about other stuff.”
Reflecting on his relationship with Tiger Woods, Duval said on the No Laying Up podcast:
“We were friends… For me, we were… I was probably one of his closer, better friends along with Mark [O’Meara]… I think as much as anything he trusted us and, you know, knew that we were just his friends and didn’t really give a c**p about the other stuff.”
It is pertinent to note that Duval had earlier revealed that he and Tiger Woods eventually cut contact. However, the Florida native added that he “wouldn’t hesitate to have a beer” with his old rival. Duval explained how the friendship played out as the latter became a global superstar.
He added:
“Are we friends? I guess so. We don’t talk. I wouldn’t hesitate to have a beer with him, but it would probably have to be hidden in some house somewhere. It’s not like he can go to the public and do it… When you have somebody like that, as it just grows and grows and grows then that circle has to tighten and tighten and tighten. And that’s just how it played out.”
Tiger Woods and David Duval’s rivalry
David Duval had a successful run on the PGA Tour in the late 90s. The American golfer clinched a total of 13 PGA Tour titles in his career from 439 starts and earned a place in the circuit’s history books. The now 52-year-old even reached the top of the world rankings in 2001 after clinching The Open Championship, his only major triumph.
Duval’s form fell off after his maiden major win. A series of injuries kept him off the course for multiple events which eventually led to him sinking in the world rankings. The golfer stayed off-field for a while before returning for the 2004 US Open. However, he missed the cut in the event and hasn’t won an event since.
The once-world No.1, who earned a total of $18,983,931 from the traditional circuit, joined the PGA Tour Champions circuit in 2022 and is currently an active player on the tour.
Tiger Woods had a remarkably influential PGA Tour career and his peak lasted considerably longer than Duval’s. The ace golfer continued his incredible streak of dominance late into the 2000s while his rival was away mostly due to injuries.
The 15-time major champion became one of the greatest of all time and his 683-week run on top of the world rankings dwarfed Duval’s 15-week stay on top by a mile.
