David Duval
He soared to the top of golf's world rankings with a blistering stretch of 13 wins, then captured the Claret Jug at Royal Lytham in a career-defining major victory.
Born 1971 (age 55)·American professional golfer·Birthday: November 9·Generation X
Biography
David Duval emerged from the Georgia Tech golf program not as a flashy phenom, but as a methodical assassin in wraparound sunglasses. His ascent in the late 1990s was a study in quiet dominance; he didn't just win tournaments, he dismantled fields with a piercingly accurate iron game. In 1999, he supplanted Tiger Woods as the world's number one golfer, a testament to a run of 11 victories in just over three years. The pinnacle came in 2001 at the Open Championship, where his final-round 67 at a windswept Royal Lytham & St. Annes secured the major title that seemed his destiny. What followed, however, became one of golf's most discussed narratives, as injuries and a loss of form saw him retreat from the summit. His later career, marked by perseverance and introspection, added a profound layer to a story that began with seemingly effortless supremacy.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
David was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached the world No. 1 ranking in the Official World Golf Ranking in 1999.
- Won the 2001 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
- Captured 13 PGA Tour victories between 1997 and 2001.
- Shot a final-round 59 to win the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
Did You Know?
He is the son of a club professional and former PGA Tour player, Bob Duval.
Duval and his father are the only father-son duo to win on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions, respectively.
He was an All-American golfer at Georgia Tech, where he was teammates with future tour player Stewart Cink.
His distinctive wraparound Oakley sunglasses became a signature part of his intimidating on-course persona.
“I think I'm a better player now than I was when I was number one in the world.”
