Reaction to Harrington's disqualification
After a TV viewer's e-mail led to Padraig Harrington's disqualification from the Eureopan Tour's event in Abu Dhabi on Friday, reaction on Twitter was swift, and supportive of Harrington.

Ian Poulter, who was given a one-stroke penalty recently in Dubai after he accidentally dropped his ball on his ball marker, causing it to move, joked:

Mahan's proud wife
Hunter Mahan got married two weeks ago to former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Kandi Mahan.

Rosey Lid
You never know who you'll see on a plane the Monday after a PGA Tour event.

Dustin and Natalie?
Dustin Johnson came out this week and denied that he is dating LPGA star Natalie Gulbis, who told SI's Alan Shipnuck in Hawaii that the two were, in fact, dating.

Ryder Cup Schwag
Rory McIlroy was given a sweet commorative club this week on the range in Abu Dhabi.

Westwood's new choppers
Several European Tour players have been needling Lee Westwood not only about his renewed dedication to fitness, but also about his recent dental work, including Ian Poulter:

Related: Follow David Dusek on Twitter | Facebook

Vegas, Baby!
Tied for the lead with Boo Weekley heading into Friday's third round, rookie Jhonattan Vegas is starting to make a name for himself in his fifth career start on the PGA Tour. If Vegas goes on to win this week, it would cap an already amazing journey to the PGA Tour.

According to his bio in the PGA Tour Media Guide, Vegas grew up in Venezuela learning the game from his father by using a broom and rocks. Sound too crazy to be true? Vegas confirmed the story after his round Thursday.

"I hit plastic balls, rocks, whatever I could find around and started hitting everything around the house, breaking windows and all kinds of stuff," Vegas said.

Even more amazing is Vegas said he would love to change the mind of Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, who has called golf a "bourgeois sport" and closed several courses in Venezuela.

"I really hope to sit down with him, and talk to him, and tell him that it's not that way," Vegas said.

Charles Howell III Part 2?
In the age of young sensations Matteo Manassero, Ryo Ishikawa, Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy, it's easy to forget the prime of a player's career used to be in his 30's. Using the old logic, there is still plenty of time for Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and Charles Howell III to live up to their potential.

Howell, who is one shot off the lead after rounds of 66-66, feels he's ready to start the next chapter in his career.

"The fact that I still feel, and others feel, I've under achieved ... that's good," Howell said. "I sure as hell hope I have. Because that means I've got better days ahead."

Duval Watch Continues
The "David Duval is almost back" story has been written several times, but after securing his PGA Tour card last season, Duval is at least playing his way back. Over the past few seasons, Duval has relied on on past champion's status, sponsor's exemptions and medical exemptions as he's battled injuries, personal matters and a desire to play golf at the highest level.

Sitting only four strokes off the lead, and at a tournament where he once shot a 59 to win, the former British Open champion is eyeing another solid finish on his journey back to the top.

(Photo: Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

David Duval's precipitous fall from the top of the world rankings has been well documented, but the state of his business/endorsement deals haven't been highlighted all that much. Nike stuck with him for awhile, but it's safe to assume that his agent's phone hasn't been ringing off the hook with offers during the last several years. The good news for Duval is that after his slight resurgence in '09 (second at the U.S. Open) and '10 (second at Pebble Beach Pro-Am), his prospects for added income have spiked dramatically, evidenced by his latest endorsement deal with Perky Jerky.

Yup, that's the name that will adorn Duval's golf bag in 2011: PERKY JERKY. Obviously he's a long way from shooting 59 and laying claim to the top spot on Tour, but one would think he might be able to get a few bucks from an equipment manufacturer to carry their staff bag. Regardless, according to Duval, Perky Jerky, which was created when someone accidentally spilled an energy drink on a bag of beef jerky, is the perfect on-course snack.  

“Perky Jerky's 2.2 ounce pack fits perfectly into my golf bag and gives me the fuel I need to play 18 holes,” Duval said. “I'm proud to be the newest member on the Perky Jerky team and I'm looking forward to being involved with the snack everyone is raving about on the PGA tour.”

'Nuff said.

Irish spirits are high

All golf fans know "silly season" events are nothing more than a cash grab for the pros and a way to blow off a little steam between "real" golf seasons. However, this week's Shark Shootout at Tiburon, which features a dozen two-man teams, might take things to a new level for the Northern Irish team of Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke.

According to a story by Ryan Ballangee, the twosome shared a few spirited exchanges at their press conference, expressing admiration for one another as well as their desire to have a good time this week. Here's a sampling of their dialogue: 

DARREN CLARKE: We could definitely win the prize for spending the longest time in the bar this week, I think.
GRAEME McDOWELL: Yeah, if the golf doesn’t go well, we’ll certainly enjoy ourselves, that’s for sure. We’re certainly here to try and put ourselves on the leaderboard as well.

Q. Where do go from here? How did you set your goals?
GRAEME McDOWELL: You know, 2011, I’m certainly looking forward to getting home for Christmas. I’m sure myself and Darren will have a few pints in Portrush.
DARREN CLARKE: Or 10.
GRAEME McDOWELL: Or 10 maybe. And, you know, really reflect on what’s been an amazing season and really enjoy it and celebrate it, because it has been amazing.

I guess a pint or 10 never really hurt anyone too much, but if this year was any indication of what lays ahead for G-Mac, it's safe to say he should keep doing whatever it is he's been doing for the foreseeable future. It's working so far, as shown by this viral video supporting G-Mac for BBC sports personality of the year (with guest stars Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy):

Historic Long Island golf club divided over Donald Trump proposal

Engineers Country Club in Roslyn Harbor, NY, once hosted the PGA Championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship. Though that heyday wasn't too far removed from the turn of the last century, the club is still well respected as a solid, old-school track, and as such, it has attracted the interest of Donald Trump. It appears the real estate tycoon-cum-golf tycoon is seriously considering adding Engineers to his growing stable of NYC area tracks, and has been actively negotiating with the membership. However, some of the members, specifically the old-timers, aren't so excited about the prospect of becoming Trump Engineers. Here's an excerpt from a letter from the club's management to its members, taken from Evan Rothman's blog: 

We are writing to you to provide you with the current status of our discussions with The Trump Organization. It has been approximately three weeks since Donald Trump and his team met with us at our Club. Since that time, we have been working diligently in an effort to negotiate a number of important issues in an effort to arrive at a Letter of Intent that that Board felt comfortable presenting to the membership. In the course of this process, our objective was not to lose sight of our duty to the entirety of our membership.

With that said, it appears that we have reached an impasse in our negotiations. Our dealings with the Trump Organization have been extremely amicable and both sides have conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism. Unfortunately, there are a few key issues that could not be resolved in a way that our Board and it’s [sic] counsel saw fit. It is for this reason that both sides have mutually agreed to discontinue discussions at this time. While we are disappointed that a deal could not be agreed to at this juncture, we are appreciative of the significant efforts of all those involved.

According to Rothman, one of the club's veteran members told him this in regard to the Trump deal:

“My personal opinion is [the Trump proposal] will pass. I am not necessarily in favor it, but we had over 80 ‘trial members’ step up who have voting rights. They clearly did it for reduced rates, and they have a substantial voting block. It has created a lot of tension within the club. The club is divided between old-time members — those over five years — and newbies who just want the next best deal. It’s not a good scene."

We all now know about Tiger's less-than-squeaky-clean personal life. And while he's about to lose his World No. 1 ranking and probably another chunk of endorsement money, you can't say he's all bad. According to The Washington Post, Tiger Woods was in Washington, D.C., on Friday for the opening of the new Tiger Woods Learning Center at the Cesar Chavez Public Charter School's Capitol Hill location. Tiger gave a 30-minute presentation at the event and answered questions from several ninth-grade students. 

"It's a perfect fit," Woods said. "If we can do this correctly, like we did in L.A., I think it'll be more impactful here than it is in L.A. Look at the people who come here. If they visit what we do, and we can offer it to their country -- not just here domestically, but internationally as well -- I think it'd be a great vehicle for us to expand and help more kids around the world."

The Capitol Hill campus is the second location for Woods' foundation in D.C. and will focus on communications and video production. 

PLAYERS ON THE BUBBLE 

If you need a reason to pay attention to the Fall Series, or wonder why players continue to play at this time of the year, the answer is simple: money. Yup, it's the time of the year when struggling rookies, out-of-sorts veterans and everyone in between start worrying about their jobs. There's always an interesting mix of guys who might lose their Tour card as the year winds down, and 2010 isn't any different. Check out some big names who might be looking at Q-School next year if they don't finish in the top 125 on the money list: 

David Duval: Currently 109th. It's still hard to believe the former World's No. 1 player has fallen so far. Did you know he finished second at the Masters twice? 

Robert Garrigus: Currently 119th. If he hadn't blown it at the St. Jude's he wouldn't have to worry now. 

Aaron Baddeley: Currently 121st. The whole stack-and-tilt thing was a mistake. 

Woody Austin: Currently 124th. Missing 12 cuts doesn't help. 

Mike Weir: Currently 142nd. Remember when he used to be good? 

Rocco Mediate: Currently 182nd. Might be time to get a job in the booth. Full-time. 

John Daly: Currently 195th. The lap band needs to go. 

Todd Hamilton: Currently 213th. He's still got his Claret Jug replica to ease the pain.  

Winning is nice, but a 59 is divine
In his much-ballyhooed TV appearance last night, LeBron James spoke endlessly about the importance of his teammates and winning and championships — all the typical fodder you'd expect to hear from a professional athlete. Which is what made David Duval's comments yesterday at the John Deere Classic — where Paul Goydos shot a first-round 59 — all the more striking. Duval, whose own 59 helped him win the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, was asked about that week and said the win itself actually took a back seat to breaking 60.

"To me, at that instant, making that putt was more important than winning the golf tournament, frankly," Duval said after a 4-under-par round of 67 Thursday afternoon at TPC Deere Run.

For his part, Goydos said the opposite: that he would trade his 59 for a W. Of course Goydos still has three rounds to play.

Duval also said he doubts 59 will remain the PGA Tour gold standard. A pair of Japanese players already have carded 58s in non-Tour competition, but he said the number to look for is 14-under par.

For Deere Run's sake, let's hope it doesn't happen in the next three days.

You go, girls! Seriously, get moving ...
Five and a half hours is the time it takes to fly from New York to Dublin; run two marathons (quickly); or watch 11 episodes of your favorite sitcom (including commercials). It's also the time it took some groups to slog through the opening round of the U.S. Women's Open Thursday, according to The AP's Alan Robinson:

Given the speed of play — or, more precisely, the lack of speedy play — during the first round ... it appeared that nearly every threesome took on Oakmont Country Club at a deliberate, take-all-precautions pace on Thursday. The mid-90s temperatures and tricky putting conditions didn't help.

One of the first golfers on the course, Mhairi McKay of Scotland, found her group warned for slow play after only four holes. The threesome finished in 5 hours, 34 minutes, or exactly one hour longer than the pace sought by the United States Golf Association.

Call it Dante's 10th circle of hell.

Mickelson's quirky quintuple
If Phil Mickelson wants to become the biggest, baddest player in the world, he'll need to avoid big, bad numbers — like the quintuple-bogey 9 he made on his ninth hole Friday at the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond. Paying attention to the rules will serve him well, too. The Guardian describes Lefty's latest snafu:

The Masters champion, who needs a top-two finish to be able to call himself the sport's best player for the first time in his career, came to the 455-yard 18th – the ninth hole of his second round – on level par.

But he left it five over, 12 shots behind the leader Darren Clarke and on course to miss the halfway cut. During a heavy downpour Mickelson blasted his drive into the water down the left and did the same with his next attempt.

The TV commentator – and former winner of the title – Wayne Riley told Mickelson that the second ball was actually playable, but the left-hander apparently had not declared the third to be a provisional and under the rules of golf had to play it.

Feds unearth $250K on Kentucky golf course
If you're the kind of golfer who generally loses money on the golf course, you might appreciate what federal authorities dug up on Summit Hills golf course in Kentucky: $250,000 in cold, hard cash. The loot apparently belonged to Bill Erpenbeck, a home builder who is serving 25 years in the big house for bilking millions of dollars from banks and home buyers, according to Jim Hannah of the Kentucky Enquirer.

Erpenbeck told an FBI agent who visited him in prison there was $250,000 cash buried between the No. 3 tee box and the No. 6 green, but it had deteriorated during the eight years it was buried in a soft-sided, blue-colored cooler.

Any money that FBI agents ultimately salvage will by applied to the $34 million Erpenbeck was ordered to forfeit as part of his 2003 bank fraud conviction, said Fred Alverson, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Carter Stewart.

"The treasure hunt will continue," Alverson said. "If there is more buried money out there, the FBI will pursue it."

Something tells me they won't be the only ones looking.

Tiger Woods posted a message of thanks to golf fans for his reception at the Masters early this month on his blog at Tigerwoods.com. Woods of course returned to competitive golf at Augusta National following his sex scandals, where he was warmly received by fans. Woods also was far more demonstrative than usual toward fans that week, saying "thank you" and tipping his hat repeatedly throughout the week.

More Tiger Woods: Special Section | SI Covers | Life in Pictures

Trump says Tiger-Elin marriage is 'over'
Donald Trump, who knows about these things, says that Tiger Woods' marriage is finished. Here's Trump's response when asked about Woods on the Good Day New York TV program.

"Yes. Do you want me to be blunt about it? I think it is over and it is too bad. I think he feels very badly about it. It is very, very tough."

And he says he understands Elin's anger. "Who can blame her? I am sure that my wife would be extremely OK with one, two, or three infidelities, but 15 is a bit much," Trump joked.

It's gotta be the shoes
The breakout star of the 2010 Masters had to be Fred Couples' skateboard golf shoes by Ecco. Here's how the coolest guy on any tour described his new kicks at The Legends of Golf in Savannah this week.

I wear tennis shoes every day because of my back. I very rarely have dress shoes on. So I tried these out and I went to a Haulalai and all hell broke loose, I think basically because of the color of the bottom. I think if they were white, I think they would pass for a little bit more of a normal shoe, but the brown ones have orange soles and the black ones have red.

I think they're very, very comfortable, and at the end of the day my body feels a little bit better in them because it's just a tennis shoe fit and they're very soft and comfortable.

They're back-ordered. I don't know when they're coming out. Everyone tells me June or July. As far as for me, I'm not any trendsetter. I just have worn them and really like them. They're very comfortable.

Yang learns you can't go home again (and make the cut)
Stewart Cink gets all the attention, but Y.E. Yang might be challenging Cink as the PGA Tour player with the best tweets. 

A disappointed Yang send out an apologetic message to his fans after missing the cut at the Euro Tour's Ballantine Championship in Korea's Jeju Island, where Yang grew up.

missed the cut - what an embarrassing week in my hometown - this is not what I envisioned

i am so sorry to my fans, especially my Korean fans and Jeju fans - 35 holes in one day is not easy under such freezing weather n gale winds

The best part of Yang's Twitter feed is the random stuff he posts. Even though he's still mastering English, he's already one of the Tour's most entertaining personalities. Here's Yang on Twitter earlier in the week:

I was at the driving range with other players, and a caddie ran out to the 50, 100 and 150 yard lines to pick up something, I tapped a ball...with my superfast driver but i shanked it and it went straight to the caddie's head, missed it by perhaps 10 inchs, yikes!! couldve been in..the headlines for a total wrong reason. anyway, got to wake up at 5am, but i can't go to sleep, arrrg

Duval plays New Orleans for the right reasons
David Duval's quiet resurgence continued at the Zurich Classic Thursday with a 4-under round, just three strokes off the leader. But Duval didn't just come to New Orleans for the golf. He came for the oysters, the shrimp, the crawfish, the muffulettas, the jambalaya and the beignets.

It is the food. I love it here. That's why I come. The folks around the tournament are wonderful, Tommy, and all of them. I've been coming here a long, long time. I like it here. I like the golf course. I like the people. I especially like to eat.

Right, on DD. Have an Abita Amber for me.

Old guys rule
Enjoyed Golf Digest's Nick Seitz's paen to the Champions Tour. Seitz praises the senior circuit for having two of the game's most compelling stars (Couples and Watson), "54-hole events ... pedal-to-the-metal play," "Lee Trevino's quick wit," "the vanishing art of shotmaking," and "pros with ... distinctive swing styles." Do I sense an implied criticism of the plodding, humorless, logo-hatted clone army of the PGA Tour? Nah...

Follow Mike Walker on Twitter.

Looks like we've got a new leader in the clubhouse for Best PGA Tour Event of the Year. That would be the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

While the Dustin Johnson versus Paul Goydos duel wasn't quite the final-round, David-versus-Godzilla showdown that was expected, the tournament turned out to be a pretty compelling show.

For starters, there is no better televised golf than Pebble Beach when the sun is out and the surf is up. CBS knows all the camera angles and the blimp shots of the mesmerizing surf pounding against the rocks more than covered the cost of blimp rentals for the whole year. The appropriate word for the weekend pictures is "wow!"

The finish also had a little of everything. Dustin Johnson struggled, but impressively birdied the par-5 18th hole to win with a sweet up-and-down from a greenside bunker after bombing a drive down the fairway into the wind.

Everyman hero Paul Goydos waited to play the par-5 14th hole while Bryce Molder finished off a quadruple-bogey 9, then Goydos duplicated the feat without the aid of a penalty stroke. Nobody roots against the underdog, especially one as fun as Gouydos, but many viewers like to see reminders of how vindictive the game of golf can be.

The Cinderella factor not already covered by Goydos was left to David Duval, the former No. 1 player in the world, then the former 882nd-ranked player in the world, trying to cement his comeback legacy with a victory. Duval did what he had to do, making birdie at the 17th, and waiting on the putting green tied for the lead while Johnson played up the 18th.

Lost in the mix was the early-season revival of J.B. Holmes, who also had a chance to be in a three-way playoff if Johnson hadn't birdied the last. Holmes did some off-season putting work and it appears to be paying off.

Johnson's third win and his successful defense of his Pebble Pro-Am title means the rush is on to anoint him as the next big thing. Randall Mell made that point on GolfChannel.com:

Move over Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Anthony Kim. You don’t win back-to-back at Pebble Beach without being a special talent.

You might have wondered when Johnson made his first PGA Tour title a Fall Finish event as a rookie two years ago. Who did he really beat? You might have wondered when he didn’t have to play the final round and was proclaimed the champ after 54 rain-soaked holes at Pebble Beach last year. Would he have survived the finish? There’s no wondering now, not after the way Johnson kept his composure Sunday with all hell breaking loose around him in a tumultuous finale.

Johnson’s caddie, Bobby Brown, is more impressed by Johnson’s head than he is by Johnson’s considerable skill. “I know I’m biased, but I tell you what, this kid is special,” said Brown, who has caddied for all three of Johnson’s victories. “I can’t believe it’s taken so long for people to catch onto him the way he hits the ball.”

The finish by Johnson at 18 was the talk of the final round. The 9s by Molder and Goydos at the 14th were a close second. Goydos saw Molder hit three chip shots up a steep bank roll back to his feet so Goydos intended to hit his approach shot long and over the green, then get up and down for par. Unfortunately, he pulled his approach shot into the danger zone and he, too, didn't get his first chip on the putting surface. Gary Peterson of The Contra Costa Times covered the Goydos angle, complete with Paul's sardonic quips.

"That was one tough hole," a reporter said, trying to break the ice.

"Which one might that have been?" Goydos asked. "It wasn't like I didn't try on all nine shots. Well, the ninth one I wasn't real excited about."

Goydos was classy in defeat. As Johnson lined up his tournament-winning birdie putt on 18, Goydos held up his left hand to quiet some distracting conversation in the greenside bleachers. Later he spoke glowingly of Johnson's complete game, saying it was a "disservice" to focus merely on his colossal drives.

Mainly he seemed to take the day in stride. When informed that Arnold Palmer had once taken a nine on the 14th hole while leading the tournament, he said, "Me and Arnold have a lot in common."

And when asked about the pro-am competition, Goydos suddenly recalled that he and amateur partner Robert Stuart had won. "I got something out of it," he said. "I got one win. It's a five-year exemption I hear."

None of us are truly exempt. Paul Goydos understands that better than most.

Bob Harig provided the Duval report for ESPN.com:

Duval remembers rifling drives into fairways and striking iron shots with such precision that he wondered how he ever lost. Those days seem so long ago, but they are not forgotten.

"I'm just pleased to get out of my golf game over the course of four days again what I feel like I should be getting out of it," Duval said. "I feel very comfortable in what I'm doing. And in a strange way, it makes me proud. I feel like I kind of have given the folks who have given me starts this year good firepower for what they did it. That makes me feel good, too."

Although Duval has often maintained that his results have not been justified by the way he played, the numbers speak for themselves this week. For the first time since the 2001 Buick Challenge -- a tournament that no longer exists and that Duval lost in a playoff -- he shot four rounds in the 60s.

One other thing: Even though Phil Mickelson continued his disappointing run on a West Coast swing that was filled with expectations as he was a non-factor at Pebble and tied for eighth, Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group was impressed enough to to make a rash statement: 

A clear-cut favorite has emerged for this summer's U.S. Open at the ever-majestic Pebble Beach Golf Links. No, it isn't Dustin Johnson, who does deserve high praise for winning his second straight AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. No, we speak not of Tiger Woods. He will be too busy fending off paparazzi, if indeed he makes an encore to his 2000 U.S. Open rout here. Mark it down: Phil Mickelson will win his first U.S. Open championship June 20.

And yes, this really, really will be the year for the Chicago Cubs. All things considered, ignoring Nick Faldo's ill-fated decision to try to talk football with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady during Saturday's telecast, Pebble Beach provided golf's best week of the year... so far.

Update: The story is finished, and many of our readers were quoted. Read it here.

Dear Readers, gentle and otherwise:

I'm writing about David Duval for our Golf Plus British Open preview issue, and I'd love to hear from a particular group of David Duval fans: those of you who didn't much care for Duval when he was the best player in the world, or close to it, yet found yourself rooting for him at the U.S. Open at Bethpage. What changed? Please leave your comments below and let me know whether I can quote you in the story.

Thanks,
Michael Bamberger, Sports Illustrated

SOUTHPORT, England -- For feel-good story David Duval, Saturday at the British Open was like getting settled in for an exciting ride only to total the car on the way out of the garage.

It started with an errant approach to the par-4 first hole, which settled so deep into the long grass right of the green that Duval was forced to take an unplayable lie. After a drop, he hit his fourth shot over the green, chipped his fifth 20 feet past the pin and two-putted for a triple-bogey 7.

Good day, and good luck.

With wind gusting up to 40 mph, players struggled to keep their balls on tees (Duval) and their hats on their heads (Harrington). And while Harrington was able to steady himself with a par at the first, Duval did not recover from his horrific start.

After a solid drive on the second, he hit his approach way left into the crowd. Bogey. He hit another decent tee shot on the third. It barely trickled into the rough, and he hit his second 15 feet short of the front collar. He putted his third way past the pin. Bogey. Duval showed no emotion, just put his head down and kept going. The par-3 fourth hole: bogey. He parred the par-4 fifth but doubled the par-4 sixth and bogeyed the par-3 seventh. In a span of seven holes, Duval was nine over, 11 over for the tournament. He was off the leaderboard by the time fans were brewing their coffee on the West Coast.

His score will suggest Duval was back to his hopelessly wild ways of the last six years, but truth be told he was only a little off. In this kind of weather, under this pressure and on a golf course like Birkdale, that's all it takes.

(Photo: Robert Beck/SI)

SOUTHPORT, England -- In the days leading up to the British Open, the practice green behind the clubhouse at Royal Birkdale was a beehive of activity. Enormous bags filled with putters were here and there, putting gurus strolled confidently and players could be heard chatting about everything from investment funds to iPods.

But this afternoon, as pair after pair were summoned to the first tee, the mood was entirely different. The green was devoid of everything and everyone except players and caddies. There were few sounds aside from the flags cracking in the wind atop the stands ringing the nearby 18th green. There were very few smiles to be seen. Late Saturday at a major championship, it's all business.

David Duval, in contention in a major for the first time in years, concentrated on long lag putts. He rolled his ball 30, 40 and 50 feet across the green. He was in his own little world until Michael Campbell walked close. Campbell, who had already posted a 74 that left him at 13 over par going into Sunday's play, knows what its like to fall out of the spotlight after being in its glare. He said, "Keep it up," patted Duval, and walked on.

Nearby, Padraig Harrington, the defending champion, rolled in one 5-footer after another. He silently went through his entire pre-putt routine before every stroke.

Robert Allenby, hoping to continue Australia's success at Birkdale, went through a drill using three balls. He putted from a distance, and then placed the balls in a ring around the hole at the same distance as his worst putt. The goal was to reward good lags and simulate the pressure of must-make 3-footers.

At their appointed time, both Harrington and Duval made their way to the gate of the green with their caddies in tow. Duval scraped chewing tobacco from his lower lip, flicked it on the edge of the green in the long grass, and adjusted his trademark sunglasses. Neither said a word.