David Duval felt that “if things fell in line” he could possibly finish with a top 20 at the Open Championship. It didn’t quite work out that way.
“I’ve been playing good golf, surprisingly,” he claimed. The 91 he recorded – which he thought was a 90 at the time until they found an extra stroke – was the worst in the Open since Ian Baker-Finch’s infamous 92 in the 1997 Open at Royal Troon.
The 2001 champion actually started with two birdies, but it was the seventh, where he was given a 15, then corrected to a 13 and finally – long after the round had finished – declared a 14, that the shenanigans really happened.
Duval lost two balls off the tee and then played the wrong ball after hitting his third tee shot, only discovering his mistake at the green. So he played for the fourth time off the tee under penalty – playing eight off the tee in effect – and took six to finally get down.
Understandably shaken, Duval lost a further eight shots on his trudge home and ended up 20-over, an arm injury causing him problems as he continued.
“As the day progressed, because of some of the shots I had to hit, my arm got worse and worse, so it was just a downward spiral,” he said.
“I wasn’t hurt enough not to finish. Unless I’m really hurt or sick, I post my score. You have an obligation as a professional athlete if you play, you post your score.”
