After finishing his final round at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, David Duval found three reporters waiting to talk to him. A general assignment reporter from the Riverside Press-Enterprise, a PGA Tour radio guy who's so pro player that Phil Mickelson makes sure to wish him Happy New's Year, and myself. It wasn't exactly a gauntlet gearing to grill him.

So what does David Duval do?

He marches for the parking lot faster than John Daly can run, makes us fire questions as we struggle to keep up (calling Phil Mickelson's trainer!, calling Phil Mickelson's trainer!) and attempts to lose us.

This in the wake of a tournament when Duval played relatively well by the standards of his second golf life - 9 under, tied for 53rd. No one's received more sympathy from the golfing public and press than David Duval. But sometimes you have to wonder why?

Especially when he acts like a big baby.

This isn't a personal complaint. The parking lot sprint and answer session is going to make the feature I'm doing on Duval - the one TravelGolf.com's own readers asked for after a newsletter I wrote on Duval fascinating even more than Tiger - even more colorful. Reporters love this kind of drama, believe me.

But if you really think it over, it's just terrible two toddler behavior. Duval could have stood there, answered questions for five minutes and been done with it. Instead he had to play the beleaguered athlete, when in reality no one's been given a bigger free pass than him.

Is it Duval's right to try to out racewalk reporters in a parking lot?

Sure. But it makes him loom as a big phony.

Remember, this is the same Duval who recently ripped the PGA Tour's new TV deal, by noting "If we're trying to reach out to non-golf fans, how you leave out ESPN is beyond me."

Well, if Duval's so interested in reaching out to non-golf fans - and he's one of the rare golfers whose story is interesting enough to cross over - shouldn't he be talking to every notebook and microphone around?

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