Double bogeys destroy Daly hopes

Two double bogeys today destroyed any hopes John Daly had of a top 10 finish on his return to golf this week.

The former Open champion, out since December and still serving a six-month US Tour ban imposed after he was put in jail to sober up last October, fell deep into the pack with a third round 74 at the Spanish Open in sunny Girona.

But it was all looking so much better for the controversial 43-year-old, down from 20 to 16 stones after lap-band stomach surgery in February, when he went to the turn in 34 to stand four under.

That was still nine adrift of Frenchman Thomas Levet at the time, but Daly then took five at the short 11th and a seven on the 492-yard par five 15th.

“First an eight-iron plugged under the lip of a bunker and in trying to get it out the ball popped up and buried again,” said the American.

“Then on 15 I flushed a five-iron from the rough, but it caught a tree.

“Other than that it was pretty damn good. I love the way I am swinging – I’m hitting it solid and I’ve made only three bad swings, which is good coming back.

“I’m just not making any putts and I’ve got to get that sorted out.”

Daly, down at 788th in the world and in Europe for the next month, had to settle for a level par aggregate of 216.

Meanwhile, Dane Soren Hansen reduced Levet’s lead to one with a birdie at the long third and then saved par on the next after going over the green into sand.

They were 13 under and 12 under respectively, while joint third were defending champion Peter Lawrie and Spaniard Jose Manuel Lara on 10 under.

Lara birdied five of the first seven holes, while Lawrie, trying to become the first player since Max Faulkner in 1953 to retain the title, resumed with five successive pars.