David Duval mocked by Piers Morgan for recording highest Open score in 69 years with 14 on par 5 at Royal Portrush
PIERS MORGAN trolled former Open champion David Duval after he made a horror 14 on the par 5 seventh at Royal Portrush.
That jaw-dropping score is the highest on a single hole at The Open for 69 years.
It was part of former world No 1 Duval's round of 20 over 91 - the highest round at The Open in 22 years and his worst ever as a pro.
The 2001 Claret Jug winner's score on the seventh was originally given as an eight, then a 15, then a 13 before it was corrected a few hours after Duval's round ended.
Duval, 47, also made a quadruple bogey eight on the par 4 fifth and made a bogey on the par 3 sixth, meaning he played three holes in 14 over.
Incredibly, Duval was two under through four after starting with back-to-back birdies. But he plummeted to 14 over after ten holes and dead last in the field.
Keen golfer Morgan tweeted: "David Duval just took 13 shots on the 7th. Yes, you read that right.
"To put this into perspective, I've never shot more than 11 at any hole in my golfing life. And I've had some shockers."
Open organisers the R&A clarified the confusion in a statement which read: "David Duval's score on the par 5 seventh hole has been adjusted to a 14 instead of a 13. His score for the first round is now 91, 20 over par.
'IT WAS AWFUL'
"The adjustment was made following an error reviewing his score on the seventh hole.
"David lost his first two balls from the tee and then played a wrong ball for the third ball played from the tee.
"On discovering the mistake at the green he had to return to where the wrong ball was played but the correct ball could not be found.
"Therefore he had to play again from the tee for a fourth time under penalty of stroke and distance.
"He played six shots in completing the hole with the fourth ball from the tee.
"He incurred a two-shot penalty for playing the wrong ball but the strokes played with the wrong ball do not count in his score (Rule 6.3c).
"No further penalty was applied for the score adjustment."
The American's score is the highest at The Open since Herman Tissies recorded a 15 on the par 3 eighth at Troon in 1950. D Murdoch carded a 14 on the first at Prestwick in the 1925 Open.
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The record high score for any hole in a Major is Ray Ainsley's 19 in the 1938 US Open.
Tommy Armour holds the dubious record of the highest score ever made with his 23 in the 1927 Shawnee Open.
Duval said: "It was a long day, a rough day. A very unique, awful situation."