I'm betting few people are going to use the word "choke" in connection with John Daly's missed three-footer in Sunday's final round of the American Express Championship.

He's such a beloved character, everyone's trying to find an excuse, including Daly himself. ("I may have pulled it, I don't know," Daly said afterward).

Yes, you pulled it because you gagged. True, Daly had been having putting problems the whole day. Yes, he missed other short putts.

But, missing a three-foot putt in a playoff with Tiger Woods -- in a prestigious, international field -- has to be called what it is: a choke of 7.6 on the Richter scale.

It was a nightmare -- even Woods turned his head and grimaced like he couldn't bear to watch something so humiliating.

In a way, this will solidify Daly's association with the common man. Who among us hasn't blown a short putt like that with far less on the line?

The difference is Daly is a pro playing at the highest echelons of the game. Therefore, he's subject to more intense scrutiny. So let there be no confusion: John Daly is now officially the game's biggest choke artist.

Every time he faces similar putts in big tournaments -- he and everyone watching will be thinking about that blown opportunity.

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