Duval Withdraws From Nissan Open

LOS ANGELES (AP) â€” David Duval, in the midst of his worst West Coast swing in five years, withdrew from the Nissan Open Wednesday and said he would try for a fresh start in Florida. <br><br>``I'm

Wednesday, February 21st 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) â€” David Duval, in the midst of his worst West Coast swing in five years, withdrew from the Nissan Open Wednesday and said he would try for a fresh start in Florida.

``I'm a little tired,'' Duval said from Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. ``I got to L.A. and said, 'I need to get home.' It didn't have the same appeal. I wasn't as refreshed as I thought I would be.''

Duval has played four times on the West Coast, and his best finish was a tie for seventh in the season-opening Mercedes Championships. He tied for 51st last week in the Bob Hope Classic and missed the cut in his other two events.

It was the first time since 1998 he had missed back-to-back cuts, and the first time since 1996 that he missed two cuts on the West Coast.

He also is embroiled in a lawsuit with Titleist, which sued Duval for breach of contract when he told the company he was leaving in December with two years left on his five-year deal. Duval later filed a countersuit, and has been experimenting with new clubs.

Duval, the only other player besides Tiger Woods to be ranked No. 1 in the world over the past three years, has slipped to No. 4 in the world ranking. He missed 10 weeks last year with a back injury and returned to win the Buick Challenge.

When contacted Wednesday, Duval was hitting balls on the back end of the range on the TPC at Sawgrass.

``My game is close to being right,'' he said. ``I'm looking for a fresh start at Doral.''