Recovering alcoholic John Daly said yesterday that he could not yet handle the pressure of playing tournament golf. The two-time Major champion, who stopped drinking 18 months ago, added that it hurt to play well but then throw away the chance of winning because of nerves.

Daly, 32, had several opportunities during the final round of the $300,000 Hong Kong Open yesterday to challenge for the lead but failed to grasp them. He finished down the field after a par 71 gave him a five under total of 279. South Korea's Kang Wook-soon, runner-up last year, shot a final round four-under-par 67 to win. The Korean bogeyed the last hole but still had a two-stroke advantage over England's Edward Fryatt.

Daly was two-under-par after 10 holes but blew his chances of a confidence-boosting victory with three bogeys in the final five. "I just cannot handle the pressure any more," he said. "When I got to six or seven under I started gagging it. I cannot handle the nerves like I used to - it is tough.

"If there was a tournament to win outside of the United States this year, it was this one. I loved the golf course from tee to green - it was perfect for my game. I hit the ball good all week and played smart but I cannot handle it down the stretch any more. It does not really give me any encouragement to play like that and miss out."

Daly, who has part of a prayer recommended by Alcoholics Anonymous stamped on his golf bag, said he could not look beyond the next day. "Hopefully I have another Major in me but I do not look past tomorrow, he said.