FanHouse LukeDonald

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.

I really can't remember the last time I've found the U.S. Open more enjoyable. A tournament that usually has people looking like the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, the course has been fair and the players have appreciated the set-up.

Also, it never hurts when Tiger Woods, after eight weeks off from competitive golf, is one shot back, making fist-pumping eagles and shooting a completely alien five-under 30 on the back nine yesterday.

You've had Phil Mickelson do things that, well, don't surprise you from Phil, Ernie Els bring form to the U.S. Open that we haven't seen since Brett Favre was winning a Super Bowl and even a caddy--spectator fight!

Before you tune in to coverage this afternoon, check the list of players in the top-10, their current position, some facts about them and the FanHouse odds on them winning.

We continue the report with page four of your FanHouse Media Guide.

• Tim Clark -- t-3 -- Mr. Oh-So-Close, Clark is a guy you would think has won on the PGA Tour and you would be wrong. In his four U.S. Open appearances Clark has been in the top-20 in three, missing the cut in the other. Add him to the list of people that will struggle with the length of Torrey Pines.

• Bobby Collins -- DNP -- The 35-year-old golf pro out of Florida owes his chance of playing in his first U.S. Open to, of all people, Houston Texans' owner Bob McNair, who played in a pro-am with Collins. Bobby presented the idea of sponsoring a golfer and McNair bit, allowing him a chance to continue his pursuit of a life on the professional golf circuit.

• Jordan Cox (a) -- DNP -- Cox, a sophomore at Stanford, will be making his PGA Tour debut this week at the U.S. Open. He can already count it as a successful week as he was seen early Monday morning playing a practice round with idol Tiger Woods, another Stanford golfer.

• Ben Crane -- 62 -- Playing on a medical exemption this year, Crane has been cruising all season, notching three top-10s and is in perfect position to retain his card for next season. Also, plays so slow he makes Sergio Garcia's waggle escapade look like Deion Sanders running the 40-yard dash.

• Ben Curtis -- 30 -- He won the British Open once. He also went to Kent State. These facts are about as exciting as Curtis.

• Chris Devlin -- DNP -- As the 33-year-old Irishman is getting set to play in his first U.S. Open, his parents are trying desperately to find their way to San Diego. "Chris rang us at two in the morning to tell us the good news and we are all really excited," his father John said. Devlin is currently playing the Hooters Tour, where he is 47th on the money list.

• Robert Dinwiddie -- DNP -- Dinwiddie, surprisingly, is from England and is having a productive year on the European Tour, currently 78th on the Order of Merit.

• Luke Donald (above, right) -- t-12 -- For a guy talked about as much as Donald, he's never played well in either of the Open championships. In case he ever has a falling out with golf, he can fall back on an illustrious painting career.

• Nick Dougherty (above, left) -- t-7 -- He's in the field because of his top-10 last year, where he was actually leading after the first round. Another of the young Englishmen expected to do serious things in the golf world.

• Andrew Dresser -- DNP -- Well, what are the chances, a guy I've actually played with in a tournament! Dresser played at Texas Tech and kicked my tail in a Byron Nelson qualifier a couple of years back. He isn't a long hitter but has a pretty flawless short game that will see itself on the PGA Tour in the near future.

Gee, these guys are good. Check out this YouTube of Rory Sabbatini's putt that could only be more difficult if it travelled through a windmill and into a clown mouth. (Wait, maybe I shouldn't mention this just in case the folks at Augusta National are thinking of ways to make the course even harder). Extra points for a celebration a little more original than a fist pump.

Honorable mention:

Luke Donald Holing Out the Ball Twice: YouTube

Paul Casey's Birdie Putt (though if it misses the hole, it would have kept running): YouTube

Zach Johnson's stones of steel play the last day. getting birdies on 13, 14, and 16 and making solid shots on 18 to win the tournament.