Duval overcomes bad back, karma to shoot 67 at Spyglass

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David Duval fired a 5-under 67 in the first round at Spyglass Hill.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- When his chronically uncooperative back flared up on Monday, David Duval wasn't sure he would be able to even play in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

And to say his expectations weren't high as he began his first round Thursday at Spyglass Hill may have been an understatement.

"I don't think I've ever broken 70 there," Duval explained. "... I only shoot 71-2-3-4, it seems like. And I was well aware of that today."

That's what made the 5-under 67 he opened with on Thursday so satisfying -- particularly after Duval had to cut his Monday practice round at Pebble Beach short "because I couldn't swing.

"I was not sure I could play," said Duval, who did manage to get in nine holes on Tuesday and Wednesday. "But it's way better than it was."

Duval started on the back nine at Spyglass Hill and promptly set the tone for the day with consecutive birdies. He turned in 33 when he chipped an 8-iron to a foot at the 18th. Birdie putts of 4, 35 and 30 feet followed on the front before he dropped his only shot to par on his final hole of the afternoon.

Even with the closing bogey, Duval was jazzed by his performance.

"I know it sounds silly but you go out there and shoot 67 on a golf course (and) that's three or four shots better than you've ever shot? I never understood why, either," Duval said. "I just never made putts, never got it close."

But Duval made plenty iin the round of 5 under that left him three strokes behind Dustin Johnson. He's got a lot of company there -- Duval is tied with Jeff Maggert, Blake Adams, Matt Jones, Mike Weir, Alex Cejka, Vijay Singh, Bryce Molder, Kevin Streelman, John Senden, D.J. Trahan and Bo Van Pelt.

Duval will stack his round Thursday against them all. He pointed out that in reality no one is leading until the field has played all three courses -- one of which, the Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, is a par 70.

"All the courses are so different," Duval explained. "It's hard to tell until after the third day. My 5 under at Spyglass is better than a 5 under at Pebble."