Second place isn't a sin, it's just one step from first

Second is the gifted violinist in an orchestra who may unfortunately be overlooked. Second is the football team made of reserves. Second as a word often has a bad rap. Second-rate, second-hand, second-class. In a win-all sporting world especially, we've turned it into an insult.

The second guy in sport as Will Zalatoris - joint runner-up at golf's US Open - knows is the also-ran. The guy who is told "your time will come" by people who then go pump the winner's hand. The guy photographers turn away from and whose name the engraver stops practising.