Big bad John was a lot of things in Thursday’s opening round of the 99th U.S. Open.

But he definitely wasn’t bad.

The man voted most likely to self-destruct under the stress of the demanding combination of Donald Ross designing and USGA refining was brilliant. He was smashing his driver, ripping his irons and putting the lights out. If all that violence connected with Daly’s name sounds familiar, at least this time it was being wreaked on a golf course.

To the delight of the huge gallery and the amazement of the doomsayers, Daly attacked Pinehurst No. 2 like a hungry man devouring a steak. It was birdie, birdie, birdie and the man who had made only five cuts in nine starts this year was tied for the lead after his first three holes.

That trifecta brought him level at 67 with early finishers David Duval and Phil Mickelson and put him in a logjam for the lead at that number.

You knew Daly had to cool after that torrid start, but he didn’t do it by taking a dive. His game leveled off and he strung together a series of pars, finally making bogey on the long par-4 8th that plays as a par-5 for members. He finished at 68 after making a "good bogey" on 18 and was a man content with himself.

"I’ll celebrate by going by McDonalds and picking up about six cheeseburgers, then go home and watch SportsCenter and hope I see myself on television," he said.

Frankly, it was great stuff watching Daly take advantage of No. 2. The man who has won two majors, the 1991PGA Championship and the 1995 British Open, and continues to astound golf fans with his amazing distance off the tee, was enjoying one of his finest hours.

"I don’t know how it happened," Daly said. "I’m in as much shock as you guys are."

On what started out as a cool and misty day in Pinehurst and ended up resembling a giant sauna bath, Daly was flirting with etching his name in the history of the place. The guy definitely has a sense for the dramatic.

"I wish I knew why I got off to such a great start," he said. "You don’t birdie the first three holes at the U.S. Open very often. I came here playing terrible, but I found a course I loved. I think you should be able to play your driver off the tee in a major."

You have to love John Daly. It is said that he has the biggest heart on the PGA Tour. He loves people and they love him. His downfall has been that demon rum and he seems to be successfully holding that devil at bay. He says he’s playing sober and living life one day at the time. That’s the AA way and may God be with him every step of the way.

"I don’t know about tomorrow," he said. "With me, I never know who is showing up tomorrow. It’s a little scary. I guess it’s just perseverance that keeps me coming back.

"But this is a round that I needed for myself and my self esteem. Whether I play good or not, I just hope I can enjoy it. I played here in the Tour Championship in ’91 and was so drunk I don’t even remember the holes. Walking up 18 to the cheers of the fans was the greatest feeling in the world for me today. It was so nice to be able to give them a good round. I haven’t figured out why they’re so great to me, but I love it and I love them for it."

Daly dodges no questions and gives no evasive answers.

"I don’t expect to win the U.S. Open," he said. "Hopefully, I’ll find the confidence to be able to, but right now I don’t have it. Even when I’m swinging well, every day is a struggle.

"But I got through this one and hopefully I’ll get through tomorrow."

If he can keep his life as straight as he was keeping his golf ball on Thursday, it can be a bowl of cherries without the pits.