Wild Thing blasts wild card pick

US Open champion Retief Goosen cruised to a six under par 66 to take the lead after day one of the BMW International, but it was John Daly who demanded attention with his comments about US Ryder Cup team captain Hal Sutton.

Daly, who fired 67 yesterday, didn't spare Sutton, on his own exclusion and the nomination of Jay Haas as one of his wild card picks.

"I have nothing against Jay but he's been there before and hasn't fared too well," declared Daly.

"I think it was Brandel Chamblee suggested during the PGA that I don't fit the mould of team golf. I think I do. I thank the media and the fans for pushing Hal to pick me but I think it kind of pissed him off. And then he comes out saying it's not a popularity contest. Pressuring Hal like that may have turned him away from me. I never talked to him about it. I don't like to kiss anybody's ass to get something. I'm just not that way. I've always been friends with him (but) I've got two records going - the first guy to win a major never to have been in the Ryder Cup - and won two majors and still never been on the Ryder Cup."

Daly, of course, won here in 2001, beating Pádraig Harrington into second place and is now ideally poised to do so again. Goosen, no more than Big John, doesn't have the Ryder Cup to worry about.

He noted: "I'm here to win and lucky that it has nothing to do with me."

The South African missed the US PGA and the NEC World Championship because of a rib injury while jet skiing on a family holiday and says it's still affecting him. In truth, there was little sign of it as he coasted through a flawless day, his swing in full working order.

With Paul McGinley's Ryder Cup bid the chief source of Irish interest, the Dubliner stayed on course to do it with a 70.

It was a quiet day for both Darren Clarke, who at least birdied the 18th, and Pádraig Harrington, who lost a ball at the 9th to run up a double bogey seven, only to get back on track with a 40-footer for eagle at the last. Both finished late in the day on even par 72 and expecting a lot better this morning.

Clarke admitted he was "lethargic" in spite of having slept virtually round the clock the night before.

"On top of that, I got home from the States on Monday night, drove the Ferrari for a half-hour and the trike [the amazing toy which he crashed to the amusement of just about everybody earlier this year] for another 30 minutes and even that fix wasn't enough to get me going," he groaned.

"I played poorly today. It's not that I wasn't focused because I want to win this tournament and get back up the world rankings, having just lost three places.

"Paul [McGinley] is looking good for the Ryder Cup and he deserves it because he's been playing well. I'm not sure about my plans just yet except I'm taking next week off and definitely playing the week after, whether in Canada or in the German Masters."

Graeme McDowell has to win or finish second on his own to make the Ryder Cup team. That task has become tougher after yesterday's 72. Kilkenny man Gary Murphy shot a solid 71, with Damien McGrane two strokes further back.