Whoever decided to pay John Daly for playing in the Murphy's Irish Open at Druids Glen must be slightly worried about getting value for money. Daly's withdrawal from last week's Memorial tournament in Dublin, Ohio, after six-putting from eight feet on the final green of the first round was his third such departure this season.

He hasn't completed a tournament since March and has missed the cut or withdrawn in 17 of his last 30 events. Mind you he's still ripping his trademark drives further than anyone else on tour and heads the driving distance table with an average of 308 yards. His accuracy is one problem (182nd with 55 per cent of fairways hit) and his once fine putting touch seems to be gone too (139th with 1.812 putts per green in regulation).