At his peak, David Duval was so dominant that he knocked Tiger Woods off the top of the world rankings — and shot a historic 59 to get there.
Between 1997 and 2001, he racked up 13 PGA Tour victories, landed a multimillion-dollar Nike deal, and became one of the most marketable golfers on the planet.
David Duval’s net worth stands at an estimated $20 million, built through prize money, major brand endorsements, ESPN broadcasting income, and a resurgent run on PGA Tour Champions.
David Duval’s Biography
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | David Robert Duval |
| Date of Birth | November 9, 1971 |
| Age | 54 |
| Nationality | American |
| Height / Weight | 6 ft 0 in / 180 lb (82 kg) |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Turned Professional | 1993 |
| Years Active | 1993 – present |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour (1995–2014), PGA Tour Champions (2022–present) |
| Highest OWGR Ranking | No. 1 (March 28, 1999; held for 15 weeks) |
| Net Worth | $20 million (estimated) |
| PGA Tour Career Prize Money | $18,983,931 (official) |
| Major Titles | 1 (The Open Championship 2001) |
| Relationship Status | Married to Susan Persichitte (since March 6, 2004) |
| Children | 2 (Brady, born 2005; Sienna, born 2008) |
Early Life and Golf Journey
David Robert Duval was born on November 9, 1971, in Jacksonville, Florida, into a family that lived and breathed golf.
His father, Bob Duval, was a club professional and golf instructor at Timuquana Country Club, giving David an immersive early education in the sport.
That upbringing planted deep roots that would shape one of the most compelling careers of the 1990s.
Tragedy marked Duval’s childhood when his older brother, Brent, developed aplastic anemia.
At just nine years old, David underwent surgery to donate bone marrow in an attempt to save Brent’s life. The transplant was unsuccessful, and Brent passed away in May 1981 at the age of 12.
The loss had a profound effect on the Duval family, and David has spoken about how it shaped his mental toughness as a competitor.
Duval attended Episcopal High School in Jacksonville, graduating in 1989 — the same year he won the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, an early sign of what was to come.
He went on to Georgia Tech, where he became one of the most decorated college golfers of his era.
He earned four-time All-American honors, won the ACC Player of the Year award twice, and claimed the 1993 National Player of the Year title, also receiving the Haskins Award and the Jack Nicklaus Award.
His college career nearly crossed over into professional territory when he led the 1992 BellSouth Classic through 54 holes before fading.
He turned professional in 1993, winning twice on the Nike Tour — including the Nike Tour Championship — to earn his PGA Tour card for 1995.
Professional Golf Career
David Duval’s professional arrival was nothing short of relentless. In his 1995 PGA Tour debut season, he set a rookie earnings record of $881,436 and posted seven runner-up finishes across his first three years without winning — a streak that only built the hunger.
His breakthrough finally came in October 1997 when he won the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill, and he immediately won his next two events, including the 1997 Tour Championship.
From 1997 to 2001, Duval was the most consistent force in world golf outside of Tiger Woods. He led the PGA Tour money list in 1998 with $2,591,031, won the Vardon Trophy for lowest scoring average, and claimed four titles that season.
In 1999, he shot a final-round 59 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic — only the third 59 in PGA Tour history at the time — to reach World No. 1 on March 28, 1999, a position he held for 15 weeks.
He also won the 1999 Players Championship, finishing on the same day his father, Bob, won on the Champions Tour.
His crowning achievement came at The Open Championship in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes, where he fired a closing 67 to win by three strokes over Niclas Fasth and claim his only Major title.
He also finished runner-up at the Masters in both 1998 and 2001, and T2 at the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black — a remarkable comeback finish after years of injury-related struggles.
Duval represented the United States in two Ryder Cups (1999, 2001) and three Presidents Cups (1996, 1998, 2000). Injuries, vertigo, and other health issues led to a sharp decline post-2001, and he lost his PGA Tour card in 2011.
Since turning 50, he has played full-time on PGA Tour Champions, finishing 44th on the 2025 Charles Schwab Cup Points list and opening his 2026 campaign with a T-15 at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship.
Caddie
Mitch Knox served as David Duval’s caddie during the peak of his career, looping the bag from the late 1990s through 2001.
Knox was on the bag for all 13 of Duval’s PGA Tour victories, including his Major triumph at the 2001 Open Championship. Known for his calm demeanor and sharp green-reading, Knox was widely regarded as one of the most effective caddies of that era.
The partnership remains one of the most celebrated player-caddie combinations in late-1990s professional golf.
David Duval’s Net Worth Details
As of 2026, David Duval’s has an estimated net worth of $20 million.
He built this fortune through 13 PGA Tour victories, a lucrative Nike Golf endorsement deal, a portfolio of secondary brand partnerships, ongoing broadcasting work with ESPN, and his continued presence on PGA Tour Champions.
Career Prize Money
Duval’s official PGA Tour career prize money stands at $18,983,931 through his PGA Tour years. His single best season came in 1999, when he earned $3.6 million in prize money — a remarkable figure for the era.
His 1998 campaign, during which he led the entire PGA Tour money list, netted him $2,591,031.
Including all global tours — European, Japan Golf Tour, and international events such as the 2000 World Cup — total career golf earnings are estimated to exceed $56 million.
On PGA Tour Champions, Duval added modest but meaningful income. He earned over $462,000 during the 2025 season, recording four top-10 finishes across 23 starts, and opened 2026 with a T-15 at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship worth approximately $34,000.
As of mid-2026, he has accumulated $223,201 in official PGA Tour Champions earnings for the season.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season / Year | Tour | Tournament Wins | Prize Money Earned |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Nike Tour | 2 | ~$27,200 |
| 1994 | Nike Tour | 1 | ~$44,000 |
| 1995 | PGA Tour | 0 | $881,400 |
| 1996 | PGA Tour | 0 | $977,100 |
| 1997 | PGA Tour | 3 | $1,900,000 |
| 1998 | PGA Tour | 4 | $2,591,031 |
| 1999 | PGA Tour | 4 | $3,600,000 |
| 2000 | PGA Tour / European | 2 | $2,508,400 |
| 2001 | PGA Tour | 1 | $2,800,000 |
| 2002 | PGA Tour | 0 | $838,000 |
| 2003 | PGA Tour | 0 | $84,700 |
| 2004 | PGA Tour | 0 | $122,700 |
| 2005 | PGA Tour | 0 | $11,500 |
| 2006 | PGA Tour | 0 | $318,300 |
| 2007–2008 | PGA Tour | 0 | $186,900 |
| 2009 | PGA Tour | 0 | $623,800 |
| 2010 | PGA Tour | 0 | $919,600 |
| 2011–2014 | PGA Tour | 0 | $534,500 |
| 2022–2024 | PGA Tour Champions | 0 | ~$200,000+ |
| 2025 | PGA Tour Champions | 0 | $462,000+ |
| 2026 (to date) | PGA Tour Champions | 0 | $223,201+ |
Endorsements
At his peak, David Duval’s endorsement portfolio was one of the most valuable in professional golf.
His earliest major equipment deal was with Titleist, where he represented the brand’s clubs, ball, and footwear throughout his climb up the world rankings. That partnership made him one of Titleist’s marquee tour ambassadors during the late 1990s.
In late 2000, Duval made a high-profile switch to Nike Golf in a multiyear deal reportedly worth tens of millions of dollars, as confirmed by multiple industry reports at the time.
As documented by CBS News coverage of the signing, the deal included head-to-toe Nike apparel, footwear, glove, and the Nike Tour Accuracy ball — making him Nike’s highest-profile golf signing alongside Tiger Woods.
Duval himself confirmed his desire to honor the relationship, telling ESPN in 2006 that Nike and president Bob Wood were “a lot of the reason I’ve been able to weather what I’ve been through.”
Beyond equipment and apparel, Duval built a broader sponsor portfolio that included Oakley sunglasses, Tommy Hilfiger clothing, FootJoy footwear, Charles Schwab financial services, and Bombardier business jets — a roster that reflected his premium image in the sport.
He later partnered with Bridgestone for golf balls in the latter stages of his PGA Tour career.
Since hanging up his full-time competitive schedule, Duval has earned broadcasting income as a television analyst for ESPN, a role he began in 2012 at the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
His media work with ESPN has kept him in front of a large golf audience and contributes a consistent income stream to his current net worth.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Duval’s combined wealth from all these revenue streams supports his estimated $20 million net worth figure.
Career Statistics
| Year | Events Played | Titles Won | Majors Won | Cuts Made | Year-End OWGR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 17 | ~11 |
| 1996 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 14 | ~8 |
| 1997 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 18 | ~4 (No. 12 end-year) |
| 1998 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 2 |
| 1999 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 2 |
| 2000 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 7 |
| 2001 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 8 |
| 2002 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 10 | ~50+ |
| 2009 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ~80 |
| 2010 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 7 | ~100 |
| 2025 | 23 | 0 | 0 | N/A (Champions) | 44th (Schwab Cup) |
| 2026 (to date) | 2+ | 0 | 0 | N/A (Champions) | — |
FAQs
What is David Duval’s net worth?
David Duval’s estimated net worth is $20 million. He accumulated this wealth through 13 PGA Tour victories, major endorsement deals including Nike Golf, ESPN broadcasting income, and continued play on PGA Tour Champions.
How much career prize money has David Duval earned?
Duval’s official PGA Tour career prize money totals $18,983,931. When including earnings from the European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, and international events, his total career golf earnings across all tours are estimated to exceed $56 million.
What was David Duval’s biggest endorsement deal?
His largest endorsement deal was with Nike Golf, signed in late 2000. The multiyear, head-to-toe contract was reported to be worth tens of millions and made him one of Nike’s premier golf ambassadors alongside Tiger Woods.
How many Major titles has David Duval won?
David Duval won one Major title — The Open Championship in 2001 at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He also finished runner-up at the Masters in 1998 and 2001, and placed T2 at the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.
What does David Duval do now?
Duval competes full-time on PGA Tour Champions, where he is a regular contender. He also works as a golf analyst and broadcaster for ESPN, providing commentary on major golf events throughout the season.
