SAN FRANCISCO -- For a man known for his booming drives, John Daly has always had a surprisingly deft touch around the greens.

Not this year, though -- and definitely not this week at the World Golf Championships-American Express Championship.

While he chipped in for a birdie on the back nine Sunday, Daly’s deficiencies with the putter were glaringly evident in the final four holes he played at Harding Park Golf Course.

First, there was the three-putt from 30 feet at the 17th hole that cost Daly sole possession of the lead as Tiger Woods was in full attack mode. And then came the misdirection from 36 inches that cost him the title on the second playoff hole.

“It's been a horrible putting year,” said Daly, who lost in a playoff for the second time this season. “And when you don't have a lot of confidence in your putter, especially when you have a chance to win, (you’re in trouble).

“I know Tiger didn't want to win that way. He probably would have rather have won with a chip in or a birdie. Like I said, I didn't want to lose that way. It's very disappointing.”

Daly ranks 165th in putts per round on the PGA TOUR this year, and he stands 130th in putting average, which measures the putts per green in regulation. A year ago, in contrast, he was fifth in putting average and 64th in putts per round.

At Harding Park, Daly ranked 15th in putting -- taking 113 in four rounds at this renovated municipal masterpiece. But the ones he missed came at crucial times -- particularly as he tried to hold off the hard-charging Woods on the back nine Sunday.

“I played solid golf,” Daly said. “I just didn't make any putts. For me to be where I am on the money list (No. 37) after this is remarkable because I have had the worst putting year of my life.

“I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm going to have to change or do something.”

Daly missed a 17-footer at the 15th hole and a 21-footer at the next -- both for birdies -- before the excruciating miscue from 6 feet, 4 inches at No. 17. The missed par putt sent a load groan echoing across the property and the tournament into sudden death.

When Daly and Woods came to the 16th green for the second time Sunday, both had birdie putts, of 14 and 25 feet, respectively. Daly had just hit a miraculous recovery from the trees on the right side of the fairway after falling short in his quest to drive the green.

Woods, though, missed his putt by an inch while Daly’s slid 3 feet by the hole. Daly said he wasn’t thinking of anything but making the first putt, and he couldn’t explain what happened on the second.

“I was just trying to do what I do, putt,” Daly said. “The first one, for it to break left was just really weird. Like I said, the second one, coming down the hill it broke left, so I thought, if anything, it would have gone right. I may have pulled it, I don't know.”

Daly admitted he may have been feeling more pressure than Woods, the game’s No. 1 player who was bidding for the 46th title of his career. As he looked back upon the week, the enormously popular 39-year-old was filled with mixed emotions.

“It's discouraging to lose that way, to fight like I did,” said Daly, who jumped 40 spots on the money list with the $750,000 second prize and moved into contention for a trip to the season-ending TOUR Championship.

“I really didn't hit the ball that great today. Just to give myself an opportunity to win or be in the playoff, like I said, it's disappointing to lose that way, but I don't think I threw it away. I did on the second putt, but in regulation play I really didn't.

“I played my heart out.”