Duval’s Defense Is Not Quite Over Yet

On the third round of last year’s British Open, David Duval laced up his spikes and started sprinting. Saturday, he spend 3 1/2 hours running in place. Which, by the end of the day, meant he gained a ton of ground on the field.

Duval trailed Colin Montgomerie by seven shots midway through the 2001 Open at Royal Lytham, fired a six-under-par 65 on Saturday, followed that with a 67 on Sunday and left Britain with the Claret Jug, his first major championship trophy.

Saturday at Muirfield, Duval began play at one over, again seven strokes off the lead, and after bogeying the first hole, appeared to start making a move, with birdies at the second, third and ninth holes.

But as has been the case all year for Duval, he began losing traction, dropped a couple strokes on the back side and wound up shooting a one-under 70 to stand at even par for the tournament.

At the time, Duval was downcast.

“I know it sounds like a broken record, but I just didn’t finish off what could have been a really decent round,” said Duval, who has missed the cut in six of his last 11 tournaments.

“I’m playing well. I just left a couple of shots out there I shouldn’t have. I felt like if I could get to three, four or five under, anything could happen on Sunday. But getting close doesn’t do it; it’s been like that all year.”

Actually, anything did happen Saturday afternoon, when Muirfield was hit with the kind of weather that would give Seattle a bad name.

Duval’s round started to look a lot better. By the time the waterlogged field slogged in, with the leaders having backtracked like politicians caught in a lie, Duval stood in 14th place, only five shots behind leader Ernie Els.

Tom Watson, in 1982-83, was the last player to repeat as Open champion.

*

It wasn’t exactly a day to remember for Phil Mickelson, not after his second consecutive 76 that coldly followed his opening round of 68 and left him 12 shots out of the lead, but Mickelson did manage a smile at the 17th hole.

As he trudged off the green after rolling in a short birdie putt, Mickelson saw a toddler in a pink jacket clapping for him and he grinned broadly and patted her on the shoulder. Mickelson and his wife, Amy, have a 3-year-old daughter and a 9-month-old daughter.

Afterward, Mickelson was philosophical.

“I just haven’t played well and I’ve had a difficult week,” he said. “But the golf course was beautifully set up and it’s probably my favorite of the Open courses, but I just haven’t played well.”

Second at last year’s PGA Championship and then third at the Masters and second at the U.S. Open this year, Mickelson wouldn’t say his experience at Muirfield was a letdown.

“What I’d say is it’s much more frustrating playing like this than being second, third and second and losing that way because at least I had a chance ... and that was much easier to deal with than playing like this.”

*

Players have been so enamored of Muirfield’s layout and the fairness of the challenge, you half expect them to turn out in kilts for the final round today.

“It’s a wonderful golf course,” said Justin Leonard, whose 68 Saturday would help anyone’s sunny disposition. “I came here two years ago and played and really enjoyed it, and I’m enjoying it even more this year.”

*

Montgomerie must love roller coasters. The Scot, still looking for his first major title, has had rounds of 74-64-84 at Muirfield.

*

Another player who faded quickly after a quick start was Sandy Lyle, whose opening round of 68 seems a long time ago. Lyle, who had a 76 Friday, had a 73 Saturday and is at four-over 217.

Lyle, 44, the 1985 British Open champion and 1988 Masters champion, said his second round was his most pronounced Muirfield misery.

“Very disheartening,” he said. “I just had to stop the bleeding.”

*

The weather forecasters, who have correctly predicted the conditions two days in a row, are trying to make it three straight with a decidedly upbeat version for today: mainly dry and partly sunny. Rain is in the forecast for the evening.