Golf Digest/US TOUR: David Duval has withdrawn from the NEC World Championship in Akron with the same back problem which forced him out of last week's US PGA Championship.
Duval quit the final major of the year after four holes of his second round. He was already 16 over par as his slump from world number one to world number 137 continued.
The 2001 Open champion has not won since his triumph at Royal Lytham and has failed to make the cut in 14 of his 18 starts this year .
His withdrawal from the field at Firestone leaves 86 players competing for the $1 million first prize, including Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley.
FALDO PLEDGE: Nick Faldo wants to help Europe's up-and-coming stars end a barren run in the majors that stretches back over four years.
Faldo returns to action in Akron this week after the birth of his fourth child and asked yesterday what Europe's current crop might be lacking, he replied: "I think it's a little bit of everything. It's understanding the commitment required and I'd like to help them, if they want to come and seek my advice."
Winner of six majors himself between 1987 and 1996, the 46-year-old practised with Nordic Open winner Ian Poulter at Firestone yesterday.
"There's plenty of talent in Europe, but it's putting it all together. Rather than just being talented golfers you have to be better prepared physically, mentally, technically," he said.
Poulter is still sporting his blond and chocolate swirl on top of his head and appreciated Greg Norman telling him last week: "Don't you ever change."
He wants to learn all he can from Faldo."He was world number one and a multi major champion, so it's good to see how he plots his way around the golf. He's still one of the best thinkers in the game."
US AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP : Waterville's Mark Murphy made the worst possible start to his first effort at the US Amateur Championship in Oakmount Golf and Country Club, Pennsylvania, when a 13 over par 83 left him 18 shots off the lead after the first round, writes Shay Keenan.
Murphy, the runner-up in the East of Ireland to Noel Fox in 2000, was seven over par after four holes on his way to an outward nine of 45. He double bogeyed the 10th, dropped another shot at the 11th but finished in level par for the last seven with birdies at the 12th and 16th.
Ryan Moore, a member of the US Walker Cup team for Ganton on September 6th and 7th, leads the field after a five-under-par 65.
Moore leads by two from Zach Atkinson from Texas on 67, with California's Travis Johnson, Australia's Ben Bunny and Jessie Mudd from Kentucky tied on 68.
