The downhill 10-footer took the intended left-to-right break and ended in the cup. But not even a closing birdie could lift the spirits of John Daly, after an opening 76 at a venue which had heaped such favour on him five years ago as British Open champion.

Even after missing six of his last seven cuts in the US, Daly was hoping for better things in this inspirational place. One sensed there was to be no respite, however, when he bogeyed three of the first four holes and went on to double-bogey the sixth, where he accidentally hit a spectator.

"This has been a terrible year," he said afterwards. "I start so bad at the first three or four holes that I'm always grinding to make the cut. It looks as if this is yet another one of those rounds where I've shot myself out of the tournament. I wonder if my game is ever going to come back."

Daly seemed to have his drinking problem under control when he triumphed here in 1995. And his chaotic financial affairs seemed set to adopt some order when he signed an $8 million contract with Callaway golf on May 23rd, 1997. A drinking and gambling spree in Las Vegas last September, however, culminated in the loss of his Callaway deal.

"I used to drink because I took all my problems (out) on it and stuff," he said. "Now I don't. Now if I'm in a good mood or a bad mood, I go out and have only four or five beers and that's it. I'm in the worst situation I've ever been in financially (he pays two ex-wives $16,500 a month) and with everything that's going on, I'm not drinking over it."

Unfortunately, the new philosophy seems to be doing very little for his golf. "It's very frustrating," he admitted, while signing autographs for loyal supporters after yesterday's round. "I came here with a lot of confidence because of the amount of work I've done in practice. Now this."

Before his arrival, an American friend remarked: "John's track record isn't too good, but where there's life, there's hope." In a three-ball with New Zealander Michael Campbell and the 1996 US Open champion Steve Jones, there was ample evidence that he retains the prodigious power which characterised his breakthrough as USPGA champion at Crooked Stick in 1991. But he extracted nothing of any consequence on greens which yielded such a handsome dividend five years ago.

So, where does he go from here? "I'm exempt until 2005 and I plan to keep coming back. I'll keep plugging away." Then, in a moment of profound sadness for those of us who could recall the glory days, he added with obvious sincerity: "I still love the game, you know."