GULLANE, Scotland – A year ago, David Duval came to the British Open seeking his first major championship. In capturing the Claret Jug with his win at Royal Lytham, Duval said he “realized a dream, culminating 20 years of practice, play and fun.”
“I have derived great joy from the accomplishment and at the same time become a better person,” Duval said. “Winning the Open completed a journey.”
The journey since his victory, however, has gone awry, veering well off the fairway of golfing success and into a deep, unforgiv- ing rough. Much the way the weekend hackers of the world search for their golf balls in the knee-high hay, Duval is searching for his game.
So this week, Duval has, as defending Open champion, come to Muirfield trying desperately to rekindle the magic he unwittingly discovered in victory last year.
Duval’s year since winning that elusive first major has been one to forget.
It began with his split from his fiancee, Julie McArthur, after eight years together. It continued with food poisoning the night before the final round of the Nissan Open at Riviera and a diagnosis of tendinitis in the shoulder he’d injured in a snowboarding fall.
That explained the smile on his face yesterday at the mere prospect of being back on familiar links turf as he prepared to defend his title.
“I certainly have some good feelings from last year, feelings that I could definitely use,” Duval said. “It’s been a pretty bad year for me so far. I lost a little bit of focus, got sidetracked. I got a little too absorbed in how I’m swinging the club.”
Mark Brooks, who won the 1996 PGA Championship, is the only player to miss the cut in all four majors the following year. Duval, who missed the cut at this year’s Masters and U.S. Open, badly wants to avoid that indignation.
The Post’s Picks
Mark Cannizzaro’s British Open Top 10:
1. SERGIO GARCIA (above): Waggles or no waggles (he’s curbed them), with or without Martina Hingis here (she’s not), he’s going to get it right in the final round of a major this time.
2. TIGER WOODS: Winning the Slam will have to wait for another year. He’ll be right there on Sunday, though.
3. DAVIS LOVE III: Not only excels at Opens, but he comes into the week having finished second in his last two tournaments.
4. NICK PRICE: Sure he’s over 40, but remains one of the straightest ball strikers in the game, something vital on this course.
5. ERNIE ELS: Terrific Open record and a multiple major winner. Will be a factor.
6. JUSTIN ROSE: He’s played great golf this year with four wins and will be inspired by his pairing with Woods.
7. NICK FALDO: His game is rejuvenated and he’s won twice here. He’ll be a factor.
8. JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL: Like Price, not a long hitter but a great shot maker who knows how to win majors.
9. PHIL MICKELSON: No top 10s in eight Opens, but also no pressure on him this week compared to last month.
10. RETIEF GOOSEN: He’s proven he’s not a flash-in-the-pan since the U.S. Open win.