
DATE: Saturday, October 11, 1997            TAG: 9710110505

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: WILLIAMSBURG                      LENGTH:   84 lines

DUVAL LURKS 1 STROKE BACK; LEONARD MISSES CUT

David Duval is in a familiar position at the midway point of the Michelob Championship:

Second.

He has two days to do something about it.

Duffy Waldorf continues to lead the tournament at Kingsmill's River Course at 10-under 132. Duval is a stroke back after shooting 66 Friday.

The 25-year-old Duval already has career winnings of $2.5 million and is No. 30 on the World Rankings. Not bad for someone who has never won.

Duval has been a bridesmaid more often than Elizabeth Taylor's best friend.

He's finished second seven times on tour in the last three years, including this year at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the BellSouth Classic. But if the run of runner-up showings is bugging him, Duval isn't letting on.

``I know I can play this game well and I know I can win golf tournaments out here,'' Duval said. ``Have I done it? No. Will I? Absolutely.''

There should be a host of players who figure they have a chance to win as the tournament heads into the weekend. Just as the crowds were enormous behind the gallery ropes - Friday's attendance of 25,643 was the second-largest single day in the tournament's 17-year history at Kingsmill - so was the pack atop the leaderboard.

After Waldorf and Duval came a Michelob six-pack at 8-under 134. Kingsmill pro Curtis Strange was alone at 135 and defending champ Scott Hoch and Fred Couples were among those at 136.

``I scored well, but I feel like I played real sloppy,'' said Strange, who is 135th on the money list. ``But who am I to complain here, the way I've played lately?''

The minimum of 70 players made the cut at 1-under par 141, just nine shots off the lead. It's the lowest the cut has been at Kingsmill since 1991 when it was 140.

The course had rendered a 63 and a 64 on Thursday, but the low rounds Friday were a trio of 65s by Fred Funk, Lee Janzen and Mark Carnevale.

``The pins were tough today,'' said Kirk Triplett, who shot 68 and is among the host at 134. ``The greens were a little firm in spots. The course is playing a little more difficult than it would look like if you played a practice round Monday or Tuesday or in the pro-am Wednesday.''

Triplett said he told Strange early in the week 25-under may win the tournament. But the hot, dry weather has made the greens more firm to complicate matters along with the trickier pin placements.

``This course will be very difficult if it's cooler and the wind blows, because those greens will get very firm,'' Triplett said.

Waldorf followed his opening-round 63 with a solid 69. The round included a chip-in for par at No. 5 from 35 feet. Waldorf said he has to avoid thinking about operating from the pole position.

``I've got to go out and play my game and play the golf course,'' Waldorf said. ``There's so many guys who can shoot low rounds, I can't go out and try to play other guys.''

Duval said he felt he left a lot of shots on the course, with four birdie putts between 12 and 20 feet he could not get to fall. As it was, all six of his birdie putts were inside of eight feet. Two of those were two-putt birdies on par-5s.

``I've been fortunate to hit a few shots real close to the hole,'' Duval said.

That's partly because he's hitting short irons in. Duval is first in the tournament in driving distance at 302.2 yards, 13 yards ahead of the nearest competitor. He said he's been hitting it long and straight.

And he handled the questions about his frequent runner-up finishes straight-on.

``It kind of confirms what I think, which is I should and will be winning golf tournaments out here,'' Duval said. ``With you all asking me that, I think it says you think I should be, too. It's nice when people maybe are not directly saying it, but support you and believe it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot

Duffy Waldorf couldn't match his sizzling opening round 63, but a

solid two-under 69 Friday got him to the weekend in front, a stroke

ahead of David Duval.

Color Photo

NHAT MEYER/The Virginian-Pilot

Kenny Perry had to negotiate a tree trunk on the eighth hole. His

two-over 73 Friday left him at 141, barely making the cut.

AP photo

David Duval... KEYWORDS: MICHELOB GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP