Long, true drives emerge from his quietly efficient swing. He pulls the emergency brake on perfectly measured approach shots as they arrive at hole level.
How, it is easy to wonder, can David Duval be struggling through one of the most difficult seasons of his professional career?
But as close putt after even closer putt lips out of the cup and sure birdies become exasperating pars Thursday at the TPC at The Canyons, the answer becomes clear. Just as the former world No. 1 player plugs one hole in 2002, another leak springs.
"I think it's obvious I played pretty well and I didn't make anything," Duval said. "I could have very easily been a few shots better than I was, but it's still a good score."
A 10-under showing and a spot just two shots off the lead through two rounds of the five-day tournament are certainly nothing to quibble with for any pro. However, with a Claret Jug (as British Open champion) and almost $16 million in career winnings, the 30-year-old Duval is not accustomed to what "any pro" considers acceptable.
"It goes without saying that I've been disappointed in my golf this year," Duval said. "It hasn't been what I would expect of myself."
At a shocking 91st on the money list, Duval said his turbulent year both personally and professionally -- including a breakup with his long-term fiancee and lingering tendinitis in his right shoulder -- may have played a role in a season where his highest finish is a tie for fourth at The Memorial.
"With some of the other things that have been happening in life for me, maybe it's not such a bad year," Duval said. "It depends on how you want to look at it."
It looked mostly good for Duval during Thursday morning's round. He birdied three of the first six holes to quickly drop to 8-under for the tournament, and his game from tee to green looked confident and calculated throughout a bogey-free round.
From No. 9 through No. 18, Duval landed on the green with a reasonable scoring putt. He sank two short putts on No. 9 and No. 11 to set up a promising back nine, but Duval's putter abandoned him for the remainder of the round and the Floridian made par.
Duval pushed a 10-footer left on the 13th after knocking a 180-yard approach stiff to the green's top tier. After a gorgeous third-shot approach to within 5 feet on the 15th, Duval lipped the putt off the right edge.
After each miss, the frustration of missed opportunities crept out a bit more for the normally stoic Duval, but never anything more than an quixotic cock of the head. He only found himself in trouble a couple of times, but easily managed both situations.
Duval first saved par on No. 8 by getting up and down from a hill left of the green and then worked around a bad kick on his tee shot at the 14th with a strong play out of a fairway bunker to eventually par that hole as well.
A second consecutive strong round and a start on the third-round leaderboard are no shame at all for Duval, who may be rediscovering some of his old magic in time to surge back in 2003.
"I'm happy with how I'm starting to play golf," Duval said. "I'm finally releasing the swing good again, injury-free for change. It's kind of nice and I think it's allowing me to swing well."
Before this season's shoulder problems, Duval battled back and wrist ailments during the 2000 and 2001 seasons.
For the first time in a while, Duval will rest a bit once the official PGA Tour season ends. He plans to play in two weeks at the Buick Challenge, then one more tournament in Japan, and the offseason will begin.
"I haven't had an extended break in a couple of years," Duval said. "I've had a few weeks here, a few weeks there. But I look forward to a bit of time."
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