It doesn’t matter what your skill level is, or how good you play at the moment, it’s there. It’s possible for anything to happen. You never know what could happen. Iron shots can be pulled, topped, or shanked. Putts appear to be going in the middle of the hole, then slipping out. It is possible to hit the perfect shot, but then wind blows it into a trap where your ball embeds. You’re out there alone. It can feel like you are losing touch with yourself. What happened to my hands? There are no relief pitchers for golf. There is no backup quarterback. There are no backup quarterbacks. David Duval, once the top-ranked golfer in the world, understands the feeling. Duval, oh my gods, knows the feeling. Thursday’s British Open saw Duval shoot a 91. This is 20 shots more than par. This is two shots more than bogey. This won’t win you the fifth flight in your club championship. This is a man who won the British Open by three strokes 18 years ago. This is the first time that a man has been ranked No. No. 1 in the world during Tiger Woods’ prime. *** Duval’s decline from No. Duval’s rapid fall from No. 1 to oblivion occurred quickly. In 1998, he was the tour’s top money winner. In 2001, he won The Open. He was ranked No. 211 on the PGA money lists. It got worse. He was diagnosed with back, shoulder and wrist problems. He experienced vertigo for a while. There were personal and family issues. He finished 16th at U.S. Open 2006 and shot the low round. Things started to improve. In 2007, he came to Jackson to participate in the Viking Classic. Although he did not compete, he did shoot four rounds of sub-par and earned a check. He described his performance that week as “encouraging” but he wasn’t ready to admit that he was on the way back. It was too late. He was not coming back, it turned out. He wasn’t even close. 2014 was his last year on the PGA Tour. He finished 25th in New Orleans, which was his best finish. He is playing in the British Open as a past champion’s exempt. He is 47 years of age, which makes him two years younger than Phil Mickelson. Tiger Woods is four years older. We all should remember that Jack Nicklaus won The Masters at the age of 46. How does a former No. How does a former No. 1 shoot a 91 in golf? He makes a 14. Duval did it on the par-5 7th hole. Duval lost three balls from the tee. He used the wrong ball from the rough. The scorer was unable to add up the shots he took. After his round, his score was changed from a 13 to a 15, then to a 15. If you’re keeping score, that’s a nonuple bogey. Duval described it as a “godawful nightmare”. His round was not as hot. The round ended at 11-over par, with nine-over par on the first hole. He also had a quadruple and triple bogey. Here’s the thing about golf: Duval, who claimed he was good in practice rounds leading to The Open, birdied only the first two holes. That’s golf. Over time, sports writers have learned that the best stories don’t always come from the winners’ locker room. Sometimes, the stories of the losers are more powerful. Duval was one such example. He could have quit the tournament after finishing 14. Duval could have pulled out of the tournament, and not posted the embarrassing score of 91. He played it out. That’s admirable, if you ask me. He then spoke about it. Duval stated to reporters, “You have an obligation in your profession as an athlete.” “If you play, you post your score. Do I feel happy? Does it cause me embarrassment? I don’t know. I did tee off in the Open, and shot 91. Duval played again Friday. He shot 78. He played the seventh hole, which he feared. He finished the back nine at one-under par. He posted his score. He completed what he began. He did a great job.