Sorry for the lateness. Nobody got anything last week.

Gerard Gallagher (42) - Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, George McNeill, Robert Allenby, Troy Matteson, Luke Donald, Mike Weir, Retief Goosen, David Toms, Jesper Parnevik, Johan Edfors, Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Phi Mickelson, Davis Love III, Carlos Franco, SCOTT VERPLANK, Geoff Ogilvy, John Rollins, ZACH JOHNSON, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Sean O'Hair, Jim Furyk, Nick O'Hern, Jay Williamson, Steve Stricker, Bernhard Langer, Niclas Fasth.

Kevin Currie (22) - David Toms, Davis Love III, Ryan Moore, David Duval, Jeff Quinney, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby, HENRIK STENSON, Rich Beem, Sergio Garcia, Kenny Perry, Scott Verplank, K.J. Choi, Vijay Singh, Billy Andrade, Sean O'Hair, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Tim Herron, Ernie Els, Brett Quigley, Brandt Snedeker, Jason Gore, Kevin Stadler, Paul Casey.

Below Average (10) - Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini, Scott Verplank, Robert Allenby, Justin Rose, Mike Weir, Adam Scott, Padraig Harrington, Carl Pettersson, Charles Howell III, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Joe Durant, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Vijay Singh, Henrik Stenson, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Bob Estes, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Sean O'Hair, Olin Browne, Ryan Palmer, Luke Donald.


This week - Canadian Open.

G - Spencer Levin
KC - John Rollins
JB - John Rollins

Somewhere, presumably in Warminster, PA, an old man is snoring. Good morning, dad. The reason I say this is because at Carnoustie, it's raining, it's pouring. It's raining so hard that caddies have to follow around their guy with the umbrella.

On Saturday, I wrote that I think Sergio's got this one, but it is far from a done deal. I wish someone, with all due respect, other than Steve Stricker was three back, but that's what we have.

Garcia has played amazing golf this week and has not made a bogey since the 11th on Friday. The belly putter looked shaky for all of two holes on Saturday, so it will take a lot to dethrone the Artist Formerly Known as "El Nino."

Remember this - Garcia squandered a six-shot lead in the final round of the 2005 Wachovia Championship. Of the group at minus-three, the two I like the most to make a run are Ernie Els and Stewart Cink. Els has the experience and handled the conditions at Muirfield in 2002 and Cink I like because he has played pretty consistently all week.

It will still be Garcia's to lose, and while I don't think he will, he could.

With a three-shot lead over Steve Stricker, I think Sergio's got this one.

Bad day to be spectators as Tiger and Garcia each hit someone on the melon. The WOMAN Tiger hit was bleeding like she went three in the Octagon with Chuck Lidell. Garcia's guy was laying out like he got kicked in the mouth by a bull.

ABC just ran a piece about Jean van de Velde in '99 and I agree with Faldo a little. Enough already. He's a human who is the biggest punchline in sports history. Let's all let it go, although since ABC is running more of it tomorrow, I think we're in trouble.

Peter Alliss is so good it's scary by the way. I thought his funniest line ever was when he called Tim Herron the Patron Saint of Sandwiches, but when he called Van de Velde heading into the water eight years ago, all he could say was, "someone please stop him." That's funny.

See ya tomorrow morning.

Tiger Woods is analyzing the final five holes for ABC, which is very cool. What I don't need is to see his video game being the one to show it. Stop! You have eight people with microphones. The guys in your booth alone have seven majors. If I wanted to watch a video game, I'd fire up my old Nintendo 64 and play GoldenEye.

Steve Stricker and Chris DiMarco are in the middle of amazing runs right now. If one of the middle-range starters on Saturday can get in around one- or two-under (Pelle Edberg and his silly do rag is in at minus-one), he will be playing later on Sunday.

Speaking of these two American guys, the Presidents Cup team gets finalized in about a month. Stricker is eighth and he's a lock to be on the team even if he doesn't finish in the top 10 because he is playing so well. (Woods, Furyk, Mickelson, Howell, Johnson and Toms are almost mathematical locks.) That leaves Verplank, Stricker, Cink and Rollins. Can't imagine the first three not being there, so that leaves Rollins in some trouble.

Assuming Rollins stays on, Capt. Jack has two picks and it's doubtful DiMarco would be one. He ranks 36th on the points and as Paul Azinger just said, his shoulder pops out 70% of the time on his back swing. Even though he was the hero last time, DiMarco has a horrible-sounding injury so he's out. I would take Lucas Glover (ranked 11th) and Brett Wetterich (ranked 12th).

Do you know why I would take those two? There is literally no one better to take. American golf is in serious trouble. Maybe Boo Weekely can make it based on this week. He's 34th and would look solid walking out for the opening ceremony with a lipper of Skoal and his camoflauge long-sleeved shirts.

Tiger birdied two in a row, then hit someone with his second shot at six. To make matters worse, a camera went off in the middle of his back swing on his third shot. That's always fun to see if Stevie will go up and rip the guy's eyes out. Tiger made par, but looks good.

Sergio does not, and I'm not speaking about his golf swing. He's wearing red pants, a red undershirt and a bright orange and red sweater. Remember when everyone thought their cable went out at the end of "The Sopranos?" Well people will be adjusting their dials because they won't believe an adult could wear this. It's repugnant and bright. On a gloomy day in Scotland, you will be able to see him from Neptune. This is also coming from a guy who wears a tee shirt that says "My Other Ride is Your Mother" with a picture of a donkey on it. I'll wear anything, but what Sergio has on right now.

I'm almost speechless after watching Boo Weekley get interviewed. He might have sent a new TNT record for "aint's" in one interview. I like folksy and honesty and that's what Boo brings, but one piece of advice, Boo. Take the chew out when you are being interviewed. It's just polite.

Good Saturday morning.

TNT, specifically Bobby Klampett, is killing me more and more each day. If Klampett talks about how much he loves when someone (cough, Tiger, cough) takes a divot with a three-wood off the tee, I will walk to Scotland to kick him in the shins. And boy does he like this Markus Brier fella. "Best Austrian golfer of all time." Hah, that's hilarious. See, Brier is like the only Austrian golfer. That's rich.

Jim Huber's essays are interesting at times, but so cheesy in delivery, I end up cringing. Billy Kratzert is very strong on the course and Ernie Johnson is my hero.

Shot of the day already happened almost two hours before Sergio and K.J. tee off. John Senden's third at 18 hit the grandstand on the left, flew toward the out of bounds right, but hit a stake the width of an ankle and bounced back into play. Of course Senden made double, but welcome to Carnoustie.

The weather will not be as big a deal as hyped on Friday. It might rain and be windy, but the weather people are already backing off the assertions that it will be brutal. Don't think Muirfield on Saturday in 2002 when Ernie Els won. Think some steady rain that might drive the average up slightly.

Bold prediction is that K.J. Choi and Miguel Angel Jimenez are the final pairing on Sunday. Sergio Garcia will blow up a bit, but not so much that he will be out of it.

So why don't the Europeans win majors anymore? Let's turn it over to TNT analyst Bobby Clampett for the penetrating investigation:

"They need to shoot the lowest score."

Oh.

If I ran TNT sports, after I got done with my morning victory lap around the breakfast table for hiring Charles Barkley years ago, I'd fly Clampett's backside back to the states. Then I'd send Barkley to Scotland and let the good times roll. You would be able to hear country club older women throughout the U.S. cringe when Barkley started going off about Ian Poulter's pants or the white snobs in the golf world.

Now, we're on to something.

Why did Clampett have to go?

"He wasn't any good."

Oh.

Some quick first-round thoughts.

John Daly grabbed the lead then lost it in the same time as your average sneeze. Just about par for the course for Long John. Hole-out eagle, double-bogey, triple-bogey, how's your dinner and maybe I'll see ya on the weekend.

Sergio Garcia played great and putted wonderfully, but can it last? History says no and God forbid if Tiger gets in Sergio's group on Saturday. That would be a slaughter.

Tiger played ok, not great. The guy who might have played the best on Thursday was amateur Rory McIlroy. Just because his name sounds like the guy from "Tin Cup," don't be alarmed. He went bogey-free in round one and missed a pair of four-footers that would have had him one off the lead.

It's worth mentioning that McIlroy is four-over already on Friday, so that last paragraph was just for the sake of history.

My guy Niclas Fasth (actually he was Gerard Gallagher's guy first) is four-under so far in round two.

If you are looking for something of a dark horse to impress your friends with on Friday night, I kind of like Miguel Angel Jimenez. He's got the right temperament to play a tough Carnoustie layout.

Tiger Woods eagled the sixth from about 15 feet to tie for the lead. K.J. Choi just one-upped him with a birdie at 13 and the outright lead at minus-four. Choi is tough to read. Before this year, I don't think anyone really expected him to be a major contender, but his wins at Tiger's and Jack's events made him a player.

Who knows? With Tiger this close, I'd say we're headed toward an anticlimactic weekend.

Weather is hideous. Fifty degrees and no more rain, but the wind is out from time to time. When it's down, Carnoustie is playable, so five-under could be the leading score on Thursday.

Forgot to mention Gary Player's comments about absolutely knowing at least one player is on steroids. Player is not the right guy to deliver this message for two reasons. First, he's not around active golf anymore and secondly, Player can be a bit goofy at times, so outlandish comments are not exactly rare.

Player could not divulge the golfer who told him he knows this information to be fact. Don't blame him for that, but it makes me wonder. This is not exactly Deep Throat helping Woodward and Bernstein, but I'll believe it.

This doesn't surprise me. I've always contended that steroids are not a problem on the PGA Tour, or professional golf to be safe. That doesn't mean they aren't out there at all. While I have some problems about this revelation, it's not shocking.

Nick Faldo is next as he basically said Europeans are too friendly with each other to win majors. I doubt there's anything to that, because Tiger has friends out there, and he'd eat their heads to win.

Faldo, who never had an abundance of buddies in his prime, may just be trying to get his young boys to get going. Maybe he's getting into their heads 14 months before his duty as Ryder Cup captain, but how tired are we getting of European chumminess? At the Ryder Cup, their friendship is what propels them. The other 358 days of the year it hurts them according to Faldo.

Maybe playing in one of the best eras in the history of golf has to do with it more than the fact these guys have some beers together.

Apologies for the lateness of the blog but I can confirm that all of these picks were made before the start of play. Hopefully, we will get a couple of blog updates through the day.

No points last week and we are not picking the event in Milwaukee with all due respect.

Gerard Gallagher (42) - Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, George McNeill, Robert Allenby, Troy Matteson, Luke Donald, Mike Weir, Retief Goosen, David Toms, Jesper Parnevik, Johan Edfors, Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Phi Mickelson, Davis Love III, Carlos Franco, SCOTT VERPLANK, Geoff Ogilvy, John Rollins, ZACH JOHNSON, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Sean O'Hair, Jim Furyk, Nick O'Hern, Jay Williamson, Steve Stricker, Bernhard Langer.

Kevin Currie (22) - David Toms, Davis Love III, Ryan Moore, David Duval, Jeff Quinney, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby, HENRIK STENSON, Rich Beem, Sergio Garcia, Kenny Perry, Scott Verplank, K.J. Choi, Vijay Singh, Billy Andrade, Sean O'Hair, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Tim Herron, Ernie Els, Brett Quigley, Brandt Snedeker, Jason Gore, Kevin Stadler.

Below Average (10) - Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini, Scott Verplank, Robert Allenby, Justin Rose, Mike Weir, Adam Scott, Padraig Harrington, Carl Pettersson, Charles Howell III, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Joe Durant, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Vijay Singh, Henrik Stenson, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Bob Estes, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Sean O'Hair, Olin Browne, Ryan Palmer.

Open Championship

We all think the European drought will end apparently.

GG - Niclas Fasth.
KC - Paul Casey. "Will the European drought end this week? He's tied for 10th at Augusta and Oakmont."
JB - Luke Donald. "Think his game could be perfect for Carnoustie."

Nothing new to report as G keeps racking up points. Steve Stricker took second and it may take a small miracle for Kevin or I to come back.
We had our company golf outing on Tuesday as well and the three golf editors, plus NHL editor and college friend of mine, Dan Shoes, took fourth. Oh well.

Gerard Gallagher (42) - Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, George McNeill, Robert Allenby, Troy Matteson, Luke Donald, Mike Weir, Retief Goosen, David Toms, Jesper Parnevik, Johan Edfors, Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Phi Mickelson, Davis Love III, Carlos Franco, SCOTT VERPLANK, Geoff Ogilvy, John Rollins, ZACH JOHNSON, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Sean O'Hair, Jim Furyk, Nick O'Hern, Jay Williamson, Steve Stricker.

Kevin Currie (22) - David Toms, Davis Love III, Ryan Moore, David Duval, Jeff Quinney, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby, HENRIK STENSON, Rich Beem, Sergio Garcia, Kenny Perry, Scott Verplank, K.J. Choi, Vijay Singh, Billy Andrade, Sean O'Hair, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Tim Herron, Ernie Els, Brett Quigley, Brandt Snedeker, Jason Gore.

Below Average (10) - Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini, Scott Verplank, Robert Allenby, Justin Rose, Mike Weir, Adam Scott, Padraig Harrington, Carl Pettersson, Charles Howell III, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Joe Durant, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Vijay Singh, Henrik Stenson, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Bob Estes, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Sean O'Hair, Olin Browne.

This week's John Deere Classic.

G - Bernhard Langer.
KC - Kevin Stadler - "Another first time winner here? I hope."
JB - Ryan Palmer - "This is a lock."

This just in from our nation's Capitol, Phil Mickelson hit a shot so bad, that it required the deployment of the United States Secret Service.

He made such a mess of the 16th hole that it got too close to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The Secret Service apparently moved her to be away from the throngs of people.

Here's what I want to ask Mickelson - "Have you ever hit a shot so poorly that the best trained guards in the history of civilization have to scramble into duty?"

Quick post this week as I'm off to celebrate my nation's independence from the British.

Gerard Gallagher (37) - Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, George McNeill, Robert Allenby, Troy Matteson, Luke Donald, Mike Weir, Retief Goosen, David Toms, Jesper Parnevik, Johan Edfors, Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Phi Mickelson, Davis Love III, Carlos Franco, SCOTT VERPLANK, Geoff Ogilvy, John Rollins, ZACH JOHNSON, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Sean O'Hair, Jim Furyk, Nick O'Hern, Jay Williamson.

Kevin Currie (22) - David Toms, Davis Love III, Ryan Moore, David Duval, Jeff Quinney, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby, HENRIK STENSON, Rich Beem, Sergio Garcia, Kenny Perry, Scott Verplank, K.J. Choi, Vijay Singh, Billy Andrade, Sean O'Hair, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Steve Stricker, Stewart Cink, RORY SABBATINI, Tiger Woods, Tim Herron, Ernie Els, Brett Quigley, Brandt Snedeker.

Mediocrity (10) - Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini, Scott Verplank, Robert Allenby, Justin Rose, Mike Weir, Adam Scott, Padraig Harrington, Carl Pettersson, Charles Howell III, Darren Clarke, David Howell, Jose Maria Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Joe Durant, Shigeki Maruyama, Geoff Ogilvy, Vijay Singh, Henrik Stenson, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Bob Estes, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Sean O'Hair.

This week is Tiger's event in our nation's capital.

G - Steve Stricker - "I guess that's good news for Stricker."
KC - Jason Gore - "I think one of Tiger's buddies wins this week."
JB - Olin Browne - "I am clueless."