David Duval unsure when he'll play again after US Open

An emotional David Duval said on Wednesday he would end a seven-month break from competitive golf at this week's U.S. Open.

The American, who has not played tournament golf since he withdrew from the Dunlop Phoenix event in Japan last November, was the last player in the 156-strong field to register for the second of the year's four majors.

"I didn't really know when I would play again," the former world number one told reporters at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. "I just felt like, at some point, I would feel I was ready to go, just play and have some fun.

"It just kind of hit me on Saturday night that I wanted to play -- for no other reason than I thought I was ready.

"Up to that point, I hadn't wanted to play. And I hadn't missed being away, to be honest," he added.

"The U.S. Open is a very hard thing for me to miss and I was anxious for my wife and my family to see me and see what I do, to see the atmosphere of tournament golf.

"I came to play this week, but I can't tell you when I'm going to play again."

The last time Duval played in a PGA Tour event was at the Las Vegas Invitational in October 2003. He made just four halfway cuts in 20 starts last year.

This year, though, his life focus has changed significantly. On March 6, he married his girlfriend Susie Persichitte, who was instrumental in helping him decide whether to return to competitive golf.

He is now a proud father to three children and has enjoyed spending time with his family at their home in Denver, Colorado.

Although he has been playing golf four to five times a week this year, he has not been practising.

"Physically I feel pretty good," he said. "Nothing really hurts any longer at the moment.

"My expectations this week are to have some fun and enjoy the atmosphere. But I sit here very nervous about this week, scared in a sense too, having not done it for quite some time.

"The decision not to play rested solely with me," he added. "The decision to play rested with my wife and I."

How Duval performs at Shinnecock this week will intrigue those who remember him from his days at the pinnacle of the game.

In 1998, he led the U.S. money list with earnings of more than $2.5 million. One year later, he became the third player to shoot a magical 13-under-par 59 on the PGA Tour before eclipsing Tiger Woods as world number one on March 28, 1999.

Three years ago he finally clinched his first major after several narrow misses, when a closing 67 gave him a three-shot victory in the British Open at Royal Lytham.

But in 2002, he failed to win a title for the first time since 1996 and his relative free-fall from the very top of the golfing pile in 1999 has been one of the most perplexing stories in the sport's history.

He broke off his eight-year engagement to fiancee Julie McArthur at the start of 2002 and has struggled with his swing plus a series of injuries.

By this week, he had plummeted to 437th in the world rankings.

Duval is scheduled to tee off at 0740 local time (1140 GMT) in Thursday's opening round with fellow American Scott Hoch and Briton Phillip Price.