Tiger shares in Daly’s despair
One, champion Tiger Woods, left the city by the bay in the happiest possible frame of mind. Another, Colin Montgomerie, led for much of the way but happily settled for a share of third place.
But for John Daly, who had the championship in his pocket for much of the final nine holes, there was nothing but despair after he handed the title on a plate to Woods by three-putting the 17th and then missing a two-footer at the second extra hole.
Woods may be elated now at having captured his 10th world championship. But, in all fairness, he looked as shocked and devastated as everybody else as he watched Daly inexplicably miss that little putt. He covered his eyes with his hand and looked almost sad at seeing what had happened.
He summed up his emotions accordingly: “It just felt so bad. That’s not how you’re supposed to win a golf tournament. We’re battling, and JD played beautifully all week. It shouldn’t end like that. I was thinking we should be playing 17 and that I had 160 yards and hitting a drawing 8 iron and kind of rehearsing what I have to do. And then he missed the putt and I just felt so bad. He was up there every day. And to put yourself on top of that board, it’s a lot of work.”
Daly has an inscrutable look whether in victory or defeat and he composed himself sufficiently well to comment: “Well, it’s always great when you’re in a play-off with Tiger. I three-putted 17 before the 72 holes was up. The green on 17 was a lot quicker than any green all day. Otherwise I think I probably would have won.
“It’s been a horrible putting year when you don’t have a lot of confidence in your putter, especially when you have a chance to win. Instead of feeling like you’re going to make them, I didn’t feel like I was going to make them. I know Tiger didn’t want to win that way. He probably would rather have won with a chip in or a birdie. Like I said, I didn’t want to lose that way. I played me heart out. It’s very disappointing.”
Even in defeat, Daly was able to take positives from the events of the day. Just as Montgomerie pointed out after finishing runner-up behind Tiger in the Open Championship: “it’s not bad to finish second to the greatest player on the planet.”
“Big John” saw things in a similar light: “There was an electric atmosphere. It was great. I mean, you know, he’s a champion and he’s won so many golf tournaments. I was probably feeling a lit bit more heat than he was. Like I said, you just hate to lose that way and I know he hated to win that way.”
As for Montgomerie, he failed in his quest to win on American soil for the first time but he also confirmed that his game is now back to the level that enabled him to capture seven successive European Tour order of merit titles. Indeed, an eighth title is now very much on the cards for he has overtaken Michael Campbell at the top of the money list with €2,565,089 against €2,434,069 for the New Zealander.
Monty, of course, insists that clinching his Ryder Cup place as early as possible is his chief target right now and in that respect San Francisco did his prospects no harm at all. He already has a clear lead in both points lists and is as good as on the team for The K Club.
“I came here to try and do a few things and I achieved them, I’m coming away very positive and can take it on this week to Madrid,” he said. “I had a goal to try and overtake Michael in the order of merit and get some more Ryder Cup points. “There’s over 1m already in the Ryder Cup list so we should be okay. The advantage I have over Michael is I don’t think he’s playing the next two tournaments.”
Wishful thinking on Monty’s part, perhaps, Campbell is definitely playing the Volvo Masters.
“I am in Madrid and I also feel I have somehow a little bit of advantage at Valderrama. I know the place very well and I’m playing well. I’ve loved the week in San Francisco. The crowd were great today, as they have been all week. Obviously they’re going to cheer more for John, that’s understandable. They were very fair all week. I tried on every shot here, and that’s all I can do.”
The Irish trio at the American Express met with mixed fortune. Graeme McDowell was comfortably the best in sixth place on five under par but he will forever remember the calamitous eight he took on the 18th in Saturday’s third round when he was within two strokes of the lead. He still finished in 68 and showed he is made of the right stuff by coming again on Sunday with a 67 in a round that contained a double bogey and in spite of missing a short birdie putt on the 17th.
He picked up €155,498 and moved up to 34th on the European money list with €545,089 and he remains 48th in the world rankings but with his position strengthened.
Paul McGinley came back well from an opening 73 to shoot 65 before the toll of a hectic few weeks told through the weekend and he eventually finished in a share of 26th worth €45,198. He remains 6th in the order of merit with €1,692,762 and is 5th in the European Ryder Cup list behind Montgomerie, Henrik Stenson, Kenny Ferrie and Sergio Garcia.
The world points list shows Montgomerie out in front followed by Stenson, Garcia, Ferrie and David Howell with McGinley in 7th place. The Dubliner is 27th in the world.
There’s no sign, though, of Padraig Harrington who endured by far his worst week in a world championship event by coming home 68th of 72 players with a 19 over par aggregate that still earned him 27,782. He stands 33rd in the European order of merit with 599,515 points and 13th in the world.
