FanHouse MiguelAngelJimenez

Back in April, after 36 holes of uninspiring golf, I wrote that Tiger Woods' Green Jacket Dreams would have to wait another year. I wasn't trying to be contrarian, or get the torch and pitchfork crowd adequately riled (I'm the biggest Tiger apologist I know), it was just that history suggested that Woods wasn't winning the Masters after a pedestrian 70-72 start. It was too much to overcome, even for the world No. 1.

Here's what I wrote at the time: "Woods averaged an opening round 72.5, but followed with a 70 in Round 2. In his four Masters victories, the numbers are even more staggering: 71, on average, on Thursday; 66.8 on Friday. ... Woods has carded Thursday-Friday rounds in the 70s on seven occasions at Augusta, and has finished no better than second."

Tiger played the weekend in 70-68 and tied for sixth place.

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The last time John Daly won a major -- 14 years and countless mullet wig trims ago -- he fired an opening round 67. On Thursday at Turnberry, Daly, sporting a buzzcut , lap-band (not visible without surgical tools) and garish get-up, turned in a 68. This could be the first sign that his new-and-improved lifestyle and recommitment to golf is finally paying off. Or, just as likely, it could be nothing -- an aberration, the calm before the metaphorical storm.

My HausCast buddy Will Brinson rightly pointed out on our British Open Preview podcast that Daly is usually good for one really good round and one spectacularly awful one. The only question is which will come first. (Of course, Brinson promptly put down $25 on Daly to win this week, but that says more about being a degenerate gambler than a hardcore JD fan, I think.)

So after a solid Thursday showing, Daly is T21, four shots back of leader Miguel Angel Jimenez. As for what happens Friday? We wait.

Somewhere in the United Kingdom, Colin Montgomerie and Darren Clarke are having a good chuckle. It's early -- we're only one day into the 37th Ryder Cup -- but the European squad is in an unfamiliar position: down after seven matches. Specifically, they trail the United States, underdogs on paper and in real life, 5-2.

And part of the reason for the early-on beatdown is because captain Nick Faldo, known just as much for his quirky disposition and sometimes vindictive personality as for his six major victories, thought it would be great fun to go with Ian Poulter and Paul Casey over grizzled Cup veterans Monty and Clarke. So far, so bad on that front.

The U.S. got off to a 3-1 lead after the morning foursomes, but Faldo inexplicably decided to break up the Lee Westwood-Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington-Robert Karlsson pairings for the afternoon four-ball, even though they were the only groups to earn points (halves, as it turned out).

Instead, Harrington was paired with Graeme McDowell, and Sergio with Miguel Angel Jimenez (Johnny Miller's a big fan, by the way). The result: 0-2. For more perspective, when Poulter and Justin Rose are the only group on the European side to win a match in seven tries, things are pretty dire.

The Ryder Cup starts Friday, and if you've realized golf exists without Tiger Woods, you're probably ecstatic.

The European team has won the last three Cups, but the American team comes in with some new faces and a little fire under them. The Americans have never lost four Ryder Cups in a row, so if they can't pull it out this week they will set a new lousy record.

Who do you like to step up for the Americans? Will Sergio Garcia continue his dominance in the event? Will Phil Mickelson wake up from his Cup slump? Do you think Miguel Angel Jimenez asks for a perm at the salon? All golf questions, including a little FedEx Cup, will be answered at 1 PM Eastern.

Come on in, wear your best American or European flag tie and try not to step in our line. We hate that.

The Ryder Cup starts Friday, which is another way of saying the Europeans are just three days from Operation Beatdown '08. It's hardly surprising that our friends across the pond are favored -- they've won the last three events, and the only reason it's not six straight is because Justin Leonard holed a "no way that goes in" 40-footer in 1999.

But, hey, there's a reason they play these things: anything can happen. As a companion piece to Shane Bacon's look at the American side, here's my ill-informed take on the European team, their past record, and who I think they will be best paired with this week.

Sergio Garcia (14-4-2) and Oliver Wilson (rookie) -- America hates Ryder Cup Garcia for a reason: because he never loses (or at least it seems that way). He's played with Jesper Parnevik, Jose Maria Olazabal and Lee Westwood during the last four events and he's won 70% of the time. Not too shabby. I'll be honest: I have no idea who Oliver Wilson is. For all I know, we're related. Whatever, he'll just have to stay out of Garcia's way on Friday and Saturday and hope the Euros are far enough ahead on Sunday that it won't matter if he goes down 9 and 8.

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.

Not to quote the Weepies, but the world spins madly on with the FanHouse Media Guide.

• Fredrik Jacobson -- t-5 -- Jacobson is the typical European golfer that you see randomly in a major playing well, take the needed time to remember his name and then you don't hear of him again for five years. I hate that.

• Lee Janzen -- WON -- Ok, trivia time. Did you know there are nine golfers that have won a major championship with a "Z" in their name? Janzen is one, can you name the other eight?

• Miguel Angel Jimenez -- t-2 -- Not a doubt in my mind that Jimenez is my favorite Spaniard golfer in his 40s with a dyed ponytail that looks like an extra from every movie with pot and people laughing.

• Brandt Jobe -- t-33 -- Jobe has played on Tour so long, he was around back when the Nissan Open was still called the Los Angeles Open. Never a winner on the big boys tour, Jobe has notched ten wins around the world.

• Dustin Johnson -- DNP -- This is his first year as a full time PGA Tour pro and he's doing well, notching two top-10s thus far. Never a problem when playing a lengthy course, Johnson is third on tour in driving distance (307.1).

• Zach Johnson -- t-45 -- Who knew Drake University was the new Oklahoma State? Johnson (pictured) went from obscure golfer to occasional favorite after his Masters win last year. He will struggle with the distance of Torrey Pines but if his wedge play is on, it won't matter. Also, if it looks like he's going to win, you can skip church on Sunday because he tends to give a sermon during his victory speech.

• Robert Karlsson -- t-45 -- Not a lot of experience at the U.S. Open, but a top-10 at this year's Masters should have him ready for similar conditions.

• Martin Kaymer -- DNP -- The 23-year-old German is being touted as the "Next Big Stud Who Will Probably Dominate the Americans in the Ryder Cup," winning his first European Tour event earlier this season. Kaymer shot a 59 in the second round of the Habsberg Classic in 2006, following that up with a 62 the next day. Also, he won that tournament (shock ensued).

• Shingo Katayama -- t-35 -- Most famous for always rocking the Nike cowboy hat, Katayama has won 24 times on the Japan Golf Tour. Also, on the Japan Golf Tour website, they give six profile categories -- full name, birth date, birth place, height, weight and blood type?! Huh?

• Jerry Kelly -- t-7 -- A grinder on tour, Kelly has only two top-10s in majors, both coming in 2007. Also, Kelly helps his brother-in-law, Jim Schuman, coach the University of Wisconsin golf team.

With everyone now on the back nine, the clubhouse leader at the Masters is Miguel Angel Jimenez, who shot a stunning 68 today to finish the tournament at 1-under par.

When I say "stunning" to describe that 68, I mean just that: The way the course is playing today, that will almost certainly be the day's lowest score, earning Jimenez the traditional crystal vase for the low round of the day. Every single person above Jimenez on the leaderboard has shot either even or over par today.

But despite playing very well today, and having solid scores of 72 Saturday and 70 Friday, there's really no chance of Jimenez holding onto this lead. The reason? A 40 on the back nine on Thursday pretty much took him out of contention. The old saying in golf that you can't win on Thursday but you can lose was certainly the case for Jimenez this week.