And that’s what is really has become for Daly. He’s not really a professional golfer anymore. He’s rather like a clown one hires for their kid’s birthday party. Instead of playing birthdays, foreign promoters looking to raise the profile of their tournaments hire Daly by pushing a wallet full of money his way to perform his act. He shows up, out of shape and mostly out of his mind.
All this would hardly be noteworthy except that at one time Daly had nearly as much talent as anyone playing the game. His enormous distance off the tee obscured a rather deft short game. He was also personable. In fact, at one time he really was a refreshing alternative to the rather staid, almost automaton nature of most pro golfers. Sadly, that day has long since passed.
To this point, calling Daly’s truncated season a disaster is to praise with faint damning. His scoring average is nearly two strokes a round higher than the tour average, meaning he’s eight strokes behind the average player in every tournament in which he makes the cut. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on perspective, that hasn’t happened all that much. Without official playing status, Daly relies mostly on sponsor exemptions which have been fewer and fewer as sponsors no longer see him and his traveling road show as an attendance draw. What tournaments he has played, his best finish is a tie for 60th. He’s compiled a total of $59,000 in winnings this season in 16 tournaments. That probably isn’t even enough to pay for the gas on the mobile home/merchandise tent he drives from tournament to tournament.
Daly unquestionably has demons, but they extend well beyond his food, alcohol and tobacco addictions. His biggest problem really is his incredible childlike view of the world. It’s not that he’s naïve. He’s just so incredibly steeped in self-denial about virtually any and every topic related to him that it’s almost as if he has no firm grasp of reality.
Article comments
1 - teacherman
Gary Benz is an idiot! Enough said!
2 - Marny
teacherman,
The dictionary [an old-fashioned reference for words and their meanings], describes "idiot" as "mentally deficient". While I have no objection to your displeasure with Gary's opinions, he is in fact, as erudite and thoughtful an individual as either of us is likely to ever meet. You might want to check for a few loose screws yourself. And if you find that your head is screwed on straight, perhaps an anger management class can help you better articulate your own ideas. Good luck.
3 - Sanchez J
John Daly is still someone, but he's just someone on the brink of destruction at all times. But, of late, he's coming back with new clothes, a lot thinner, and he just placed 2nd in a Euro-tour event. Go John!