KING DAVID

The Masters begins today and it’s looking as if there is only one question that needs to be answered besides how rough the rough will be: What’s David Duval’s coat size?

If this is supposed to be Duval’s coming-out party in majors, then what better site could there be, out here in the middle of the trees and the azaleas and the dogwoods, where there is more history than pine needles?

Here is the Masters field: Duval and 95 other guys. That’s the way it seems, anyway. In only three months, Duval already has won four times, become the No. 1 player in the world, made more money than any player has in one year, played eight events in a combined 86 under par, shot 17 rounds in the 60s and one in the 50s, averaged 68.7 shots a round and basically intimidated everybody else to the point where they’re scared to show up.

That sort of makes the 27-year-old Duval the obvious favorite at the Masters. The last time anything was so obvious, it was when they found out that Rae’s Creek was wet.

Fred Couples, who tied for second with Duval a year ago, certainly thinks that Duval is the one to beat.

“This guy’s so good, his golf game, it’s incredible,” Couples said. “He’s winning and it looks very easy. I just haven’t seen anyone do that.

“He’s a lot better than a lot of people and he’s a little better than Ernie Els and Tiger Woods.

“He’s got talent and it’s a great one.”

He’s also got some money socked away. Duval has made $2,598,300, more than his record-breaking total of $2.51 million last year. What’s more, Duval has replaced Woods as the No. 1 player in the Official Golf Ranking and isn’t showing any signs of slacking off.

In fact, it took three birdies in the last four holes by Mark O’Meara to keep Duval from last year’s Masters title. He has won 11 times in his last 34 tournaments, a pace that could stand up to anyone, if there was anyone to compare it with in the modern age.

Greg Norman said Duval’s success rate reminds him of someone: himself.

“Probably in 1993, ’94 where I felt like I walked to the first tee and wondered who was going to finish second this week,” Norman said. “And that’s not from pure arrogance or egotistical. That’s pure confidence.

“And you can see that with David right now. I think it’s great for the game to see somebody doing what David’s doing. Because people are kind of like [saying] ‘Boy, what’s it like to be in his shoes right now?’ ”

As it turns out, Duval is feeling the same as he always does in his shoes right now. That would be sort of understated, not very excited, focused, semi-quiet.

You were expecting flash? The flashiest thing about Duval are the wraparound sunglasses he wears to protect his light-sensitive eyes.

For instance, when Duval was told of Norman’s comments about who would finish second, he was asked if he ever felt the same way.

“No, uh-uh, no,” Duval said. “I do think that if I’m ready to play and I go out and play well and think clearly, I’ll have a chance to win, yes. But I don’t think that necessarily means I’m not going to get beat. I don’t think that way.”

That’s typical Duval. Actually, it’s a virtual filibuster for him. It’s not that he’s uncooperative, because he’s not. It’s just that Duval isn’t exactly, well, colorful.

In fact, he was even asked if he considered himself “a dullard” during his pre-tournament session with the print media.

“My personality or my golf game?” Duval answered evenly.

It’s not that he cared either way, but Duval talked about his personality.

“If that’s a perception, that’s fine. That’s how I try to play. I try not to make mistakes. I try to make it a very stress-free round of golf every time I tee it up. I don’t want to have to worry about bogeys and double bogeys. I try to keep the stress level as minimal as I can.”

Well, you’d have to say he has done a good job of that. He wins every third time out? If Duval’s blood pressure were any lower, he’d be flat-lining.

In an attempt to introduce some stress-inducing issues--just to fill in the gap, you understand--this rivalry thing between Duval and Woods has been invented.

Woods was No. 1 before Duval replaced him. O’Meara, among others, believes that little fact has gotten on Tiger’s nerves, although Woods denies it. He said he enjoys competing with Duval on all kinds of fronts.

“Cool,” Woods said. “Number 2? Actually, it’s fine. It’s one of those things that’s cyclical. Everybody’s going to have their runs. David’s having his run right now. It’s all part of the game.”

Woods is probably little off-base, though. Duval isn’t just running, he’s downright sprinting.

But there is one area where Woods has a clear edge. That would be in the major department. Woods has one--the 1997 Masters, which he won by a record 12 shots. Couples said it’s not a secret that Duval is major-less . . . so far.

“Has he won a major?” Couples said “No. Has he played in many? No. But this is going to be a good year for him. I don’t think you should put pressure on him to win here. He could, but if he doesn’t, you know, you shouldn’t label him a failure.”

Duval has played in only 15 majors since he turned pro in 1995 and he knows he will have more chances to break through.

He’s confident about it, as usual.

“I think it is a matter of time,” he said. “And that goes to just realizing that to win a golf tournament, things have to be going well for you.

“And then when the majors are only happening four times a year, a lot of stuff has to come together in a given four weeks for that to happen. I think that will happen, certainly. How quickly, I don’t know. I think I am prepared for it. I think last year’s event here certainly helped.”

So it goes for the soft-spoken, easy-going, sunglass-wearing, snowboard-loving Floridian by way of Georgia who just happens to have put it all together to become the best player in the world.

At Augusta National, the course has been toughened up and some of the world’s finest golfers--such as Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie, Els, Woods, Davis Love III, Couples, Jim Furyk, John Daly and Vijay Singh--are not going to step aside just so Duval can win his first major.

But the way things are going, it may not make a difference where they step. By Sunday night, this Masters might have Duval’s footprints all over it.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Duval is not only leading numerous categories on the PGA Tour this season, he’s doing much better than the leaders from previous years:

MONEY

1999: David Duval, $2,598,300

1998: Duval, $2,591,031

1997: Tiger Woods, $2,066,833

1996: Tom Lehman, $1,780,159

****

BIRDIE AVERAGE

1999: Duval, 5.07

1998: Duval, 4.29

1997: Woods, 4.25

1996: Fred Couples, 4.20

****

SCORING AVERAGE

1999: Duval, 68.22

1998: Duval, 69.13

1997: Nick Price, 68.98

1996: Lehman, 69.32

****

PUTTING AVERAGE

1999: Duval, 1,687

1998: Rick Fehr, 1.722

1997: Don Pooley, 1.718

1996: Brad Faxon, 1.709

****

1. Duval, United States: 13.52

2. Woods, United States: 12.62

3. Davis Love III, United States: 10.42

4. Mark O’Meara, United States: 9.96

5. Ernie Els, South Africa: 9.15

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Blazing a Trail

It has taken David Duval only eight tournaments to set a single-season earnings record of $2,598,300. A look at how he has fared in each of the PGA Tour events he has entered this year:

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DATE TOURNAMENT FINISH MONEY Jan. 10 Mercedes Championships First $468,000 Jan. 24 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic First $540,000 Jan. 31 Phoenix Open T18th $40,500 Feb. 7 AT&T; Pebble Beach National Pro-Am T15th $43,400 Feb. 21 Nissan Open T5th $106,400 Feb. 28 World Match Play Championship T17th $50,000 March 28 The Players Championship First $900,000 April 4 BellSouth Classic First $450,000

*--*