FanHouse Luke Donald

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland (AP) -- Luke Donald was almost perfect with his putter on the way to an 8-under 64 at Kingsbarns on Sunday that gave him a one-stroke lead over Rory McIlroy and Simon Dyson in the weather-delayed third round of the Dunhill Links Championship.

Donald had nine birdies and just one bogey, at the 15th.

It seems almost like clockwork, that at some point during your week you'll find out that Colin Montgomerie is not happy about something. Maybe it's Sandy Lyle, saying he cheated. It could be a trigger-happy photographer that didn't know of Mrs. Doubtfire's wrath. Or it simply could be a painter that refuses to brush Monty on a canvas because of his man boobs.

What is certain is he does tend to toss shoes around a lot, and his recent Nike discharge flew directly at England's own Ian Poulter, who after missing out on the Tour Championship, decided that he wouldn't be accepting an invitation to the Vivendi Trophy match in Paris (previously called the Seve Cup), and that rubbed the 2010 Ryder Cup captain the wrong way.

Just like we did with Augusta, we present your Sleepers for the U.S. Open. Bethpage Black is 7,426 yards of pure nastiness, and will play to a gruesome par of just 70. It is one of the toughest tests in golf, and will be home to the best golfers in the world this weekend. So who are the sleepers you should bank on when the big boys tee up on Thursday? Here's a list of five.

Here is something you don't read everyday. Tiger Woods, the top golfer in the world with mucho power and a tremendous start to the week already, was standing on the 18th tee on Thursday at the Memorial with a chance to hit every single stinkin' fairway. All 14 of 'em. That is something he has only done five times in his career. Something he hasn't done since 2003. Something that, when effective, basically is the ingredients to a Tiger victory (he was seventh in fairways hit at Bethpage Black in '02).

Tiger, sadly, couldn't do it. He pushed his tee shot right into a fairway bunker, chunked his second shot short and left of the green, missed the par putt and ended his day with a disappointing three-under 69. The man he is staring up at in the leaderboard is Luke Donald, who posted an eight-under 64.

So far, 2009 has not been Phil Mickelson's year. Lefty has played in three tournaments, missing the cut in one and making just over $30,000 combined in the other two, putting him a measly 136th on the FedEx Cup points list.

What is the best way to break out of a nasty slump? Play, and play well, at a tournament you won the year before.

Every Monday during the PGA TOUR season, Monday's Pin Placement will run as a wrap-up of the weekend action, with a little commentary mixed in. We will focus on anything you may have missed while you were grinding on the putting green.

Zach Johnson Gets Lei'd -- So much is said about the young golfers these days. We talk about Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan, Ryan Moore and just about anyone else that is under 30 and has a little game. What is hard for most to realize (because Tiger didn't do it) is most professional golfers don't hit their talent strides until they get to 30.

Sports Illustrated Curse, watch out, the new FedEx Cup Curse might give you a run for your money.

After Tiger Woods won the inaugural cup last year and went down with the knee injury, recent winner Vijay Singh has followed suit, taking two months off of golf because of tendinitis in his left forearm. With the PGA Tour all but over for 2008, it seems like a pretty good time to take a few months off but the Fijian will be missing two key events in Malaysia and Shanghai.

"I am very disappointed to miss the Iskandar Johor Open and the HSBC event as I was looking forward to returning to Asia," the 45-year-old Singh said in a news release issued by the Asian Tour on Tuesday.

"As disappointing as it will be to miss the tournaments it is important I follow my doctor's instructions and do what is best for my long-term health."

Can I ask when golf got so brutally tough on the body? Ernie Els hurt his knee in 2005, Phil Mickelson had the wrist problem in '07 and now Tiger, Luke Donald and Vijay have added their names on the IR this season with different ailments. Not to bring up a point to get bashed because I think the workout regiments for golfers have really helped the sport, but do you think all the fitness has something to do with any of this?

Tiger obviously keeps himself in good shape, as does Donald and Singh. It might not be the main reason for the troubles, but it definitely could add insult to the injured areas. Or, it could just be because Singh is 45 and this stuff happens to people around that age. Yeah, that could be it too.

The Ryder Cup starts tomorrow and for the first time in ages, the Americans are the clear cut underdog. They don't have their best golfer, they are one bad weekend away from the most consecutive U.S. losses in Ryder Cup history and they don't really have someone, as of yet, to step up as a true team leader.

The Europeans on the other hand look great, with the hottest golfer in the world accompanied by one of the hottest Ryder Cup players ever. With the matches beginning early in the morning on Friday, here are five questions that might be asked before the matches begin.

• What will the absence of Tiger Woods do to the American team? -- Well, obviously not having the best golfer in the world in your corner puts you at a disadvantage, but maybe the biggest loss is with the Jim Furyk-Woods team that had some mild success in 2006. The duo went 2-2-0 which is a huge step up from the success of Tiger with other golfers in the team portion of the Ryder Cup. With some experience behind them, this could have been the two to carry an American team to victory. Now Furyk will have to find chemistry with someone else.

If you thought Tiger Woods was the biggest name missing out on the Ryder Cup this year, you're wrong.

Englishman Luke Donald went under the knife to repair his wrist and will be out for the remainder of 2008 which is good news for any and all people hoping for a U.S. upset.

"While there is never a good time for an injury, the timing of this injury was especially disappointing for me considering that it forced me to miss the Open Championship and it comes in a Ryder Cup year," said Donald. "But taking proper care of it is my highest priority and I'm encouraged by Dr. Weiland's experience with this type of injury and his outlook towards my recovery and rehabilitation. I am appreciative of his guidance, as well as his staff's, and look forward to working diligently at my rehabilitation and returning to action next season."

It really isn't good for the European team looking for a solid captain's pick. Donald was 11th on the Ryder Cup World Point List and has been an absolute BEAST in Ryder Cup play in 2004 and '06.

His record of 5-1-1 is impressive in itself but becomes even shinier when you look at the teams and individuals he's taken out. Teams of Woods and Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson and David Toms and a singles victory over Chad Campbell two years ago after Campbell slaughtered Donald in '04 are just some of the highlights.

It might not be as hyped as the Super Bowl, but the British Open injury report sure seems to be as consistent.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington said he might have to pull out at Royal Birkdale after injuring his wrist hitting an impact bag on Saturday. If you're not familiar with an impact bag, it's a big yellow bag you swing and hit with your golf club, that practically stops your swing immediately, similar to a soft tree or forgiving brick wall.

"I've been having treatment, and I'm strongly hopeful I will be able to play," Harrington said. "The only issue would be if I re-injured it in the rough, and that's what is a little bit scary. I'm going for physio now, and then out to see if I can hit shots. If it stays stable, I will play a practice round but pick the ball up in the rough. If it's not stable I will have another day off."

Now that is a way to get ready for a major championship, picking your ball up when you hit it in the rough! I guess now that guy I play with that always seem to be tooling with his ball when he hits it in the hay will have someone to idolize.

If Harrington does have to drop out because of the wrist, he'll join Tiger Woods and Luke Donald as huge names that aren't going to be battling for the Claret Jug. A healthy Harrington has to be a favorite this week, but this wrist injury will make the field that much more open.

I bet that impact bag finds itself in a dumpster before the week is over.