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By BOB HARIG
© St. Petersburg Times, published March 23, 2001
PONTE VEDRA BEACH -- David Duval's season of disappointment continued Thursday when he withdrew from the Players Championship because of tendinitis in his right wrist.
Duval, who has failed to finish in the top 50 in any full-field event this year, injured his wrist two weeks ago during several extensive practice sessions at home.
After hitting hundreds of balls for several days, Duval was nearly unable to grip a club and had to withdraw from last week's Bay Hill Invitational. He had hoped to play in his hometown Players Championship, a tournament he won in 1999.
"The Players Championship is very special to me and it is very frustrating not to be able to compete," Duval said. "However, I need to get this wrist healed, so I must take some time off."
Duval said he had an MRI exam Wednesday and that it revealed nothing more than tendinitis. He more than likely will skip next week's BellSouth Classic in Atlanta and hopes to return for the Masters in two weeks.
WOODS' WORLD: It wasn't as bad, but it turned out to be far more penal. Tiger Woods, who struggled to keep his ball in the fairway yet won the Bay Hill Invitational on Sunday, hooked another 18th hole tee shot during the opening round of the Players Championship. This time, there was no fan to save him, and his ball curved into the water. The double bogey led to a round of par 72. Woods has just one sub-70 score in 17 professional rounds at the TPC-Sawgrass Stadium Course.
"I felt like I played beautifully," Woods said. "I hit a lot of good, solid shots. Unfortunately, I didn't get a whole lot out of my round. The golf course is playing extremely difficult with these changing wind conditions. To be able to pick the right clubs and trust and execute it. ... I did that most of the day and I was pleased with that."
WWW.GOODSHOT.COM: The Web site www.pgatour.com again is offering live video stream of every shot on the par-3 17th hole at the TPC-Sawgrass Stadium Course through the first two rounds of the tournament.
Live@17's camera provides live footage of each player and each shot at the island green hole. Play-by-play is provided by PGA Tour Radio.
ETC.: Chris Perry became ill Thursday morning and withdrew before his 7 a.m. tee time. Because no alternates were on site, none got into the field when Duval withdrew later. Under PGA Tour rules, an alternate must be ready to go at the first instance a player withdraws. Geoff Ogilvy was the first alternate, and missed his chance to get into the $6-million tournament. So the field started at 142 players. ... Tom Kite, 51, had no trouble making the transition from the Senior PGA Tour. His round of 70 included eight straight holes without par (five birdies, three bogeys), then 10 consecutive pars. ... There were 19 balls hit in the water at the par-3 17th, including two by Woody Austin, who made 8 at the hole.