'It was fun' Duval says he likes Carnoustie despite being 17 over Click here for more on this story Posted: Saturday July 17, 1999 12:30 PM   Duval: "I wouldn't mind if the Open came back here again soon -- as long as it's not every year." AP CARNOUSTIE, Scotland (Reuters) -- World No. 2 David Duval continued to declare his affection for Carnoustie on Saturday despite another indifferent round in the wind on the third day of the British Open. After barely making the halfway cut on 12 over par 154, Duval put together a 5-over-par 76 which he said might have ranked right up there with the 59 he shot earlier this year if he had made a few more putts. "It was fun to go out there today and try. You laugh at some of the things going on," he said. "If I had holed a couple more putts out there it might have been as much fun as the 59." He refuted suggestions he disliked the course and denied ever having said so, despite several media reports saying he had. "I played it at the Scottish Open in 1995 and I liked it then. I still do and I've said nothing to the contrary," the quiet Floridian said. "I wouldn't mind if the Open came back here again soon -- as long as it's not every year," he added. He also enjoyed a cry of "You the bloke" from a crowd -- a local variation of "You da Man" heard so much at U.S. tournments. The wind and the tough set-up of the 7,361-yard course contrived once more to play havoc with the scoring. Frank Nobilo of New Zealand put together a one-under-par 70 but the next best scores among the first 30 finishers were 73s by 1994 champion Nick Price and American Scott Verplank. "It didn't seem to get any better, it was even more gusty out there," Duval said. The 27-year-old Floridian, who held the top ranking spot for 13 weeks until Tiger Woods regained it two weeks ago, bogeyed the first two holes and double-bogeyed the seventh where he hit his second shot into a gorse bush and deemed the ball unplayable. More bogeys followed at 10 and 11 but he played the last seven holes in one under par despite two successive bogeys from the 13th. Duval won four tournaments early this year as he took the number one spot from Woods, including the five-round Bob Hope tournament when he shot 59 in the last round, one of only three men to have achieved that in a Tour event. Not long after Duval finished, the pacesetters began their rounds with 1986 and 1993 champion Greg Norman making quick inroads into his three-shot overnight deficit by grabbing a birdie at the first with a 15-foot putt. That left him two behind French leader Jean Van de Velde, who parred the first. But Norman dropped a shot at the second and the third to fall behind playing partner Woods, who parred the first three holes. Second-placed Angel Cabrera of Argentina also parred the first but Patrik Sjoland of Sweden birdied the second to draw within two shots of the lead.   Related information Stories Payne Stewart slams British Open organizers Parry shoots tournament-low 67; leaders struggle to make par at Open Multimedia Click here for the latest audio and video Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV. Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

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