Duval ready to resume Major hunt

David Duval has pronounced himself confident that burning a finger and thumb last week should not stop him getting his hands on the US Open trophy on Sunday.

The world's number one golfer, who suffered the injury last Friday picking up a hot teapot off a gas stove, managed a full practice round at Pinehurst today, a day earlier than he thought might be the case.

Still wearing tape for protection, Duval said: "I didn't feel any pain. It had no effect and on the basis of today I don't see it being an issue.

"I got in touch with the Titleist people to get them to bring some right-hand gloves here, but I have not even needed to try them."

The 27-year-old American also said that his motivation is back after losing some of his enthusiasm for golf after the Masters in April.

Duval won twice in a row heading for Augusta but failed to add his first Major - he was tied for sixth - and said: "I had put a lot of work into that run and it wears on you.

"Afterwards I was not as ready to play as I would like to be. I was more drained than I expected to be, so I chose not to play for a while. But now I am very eager to play."

Tiger Woods, who could take the world number one spot back this weekend, now faces the same situation Duval had in the spring.

Woods has won his last two tournaments but is revved up to try to make that three.

"I like the course a lot. I've always loved traditional courses - to me it's the ultimate," said the 23-year-old American.

"At previous US Opens I was not as good a player as I needed to be (his best finish in four appearances is his 18th last year). But I've been making changes to try to become more consistent.

"I'm learning to play the game. I've come a long way but I have a long way to go and the most important thing is that I have learnt from my mistakes - and other people's."

Woods' father Earl, meanwhile, finds himself embroiled in a controversy over comments about Scotland which have appeared in an American men's magazine and which he flatly denies.

The girl reporter says the remarks are taped and that Woods knew in the phone conversation he was being recorded.

Woods senior is alleged to have said of the home of golf: "That's for white people. It sucks as far as I'm concerned.

"It has the sorriest weather. People had better be happy that the Scots lived there instead of the soul brothers - the game of golf would never have been invented."

After the publication he has said through the management company IMG, which handles his son: "I absolutely, unequivocally, flat-out deny having ever said that to anybody. It's farcical and totally fabricated."