John Daly Rehabs...

...an injury. Yes, that's right, Doug Ferguson reports on the minor surgery Daly recently underwent. More stunning is the news from his doctor that Long John engaged in rehab of an injury.

Daly has cited injury as the primary reason for his poor play over the last two years, during which he has withdrawn eight times and missed the cut 14 times in 33 events. The injury dates to the ‘07 Honda Classic, when he tried to stop his swing upon hearing the click of a fan’s camera. More than a year later, his doctor believes he found the problem.

The surgery was to repair a torn muscle in his stomach.

“When he tried to stop swinging at the Honda Classic, he tore his rotator cuff and he also dislocated two rib joints where they attach to the spine,” said Dr. Steve Whitelaw, who works with the Arkansas Razorbacks. “We rehabbed all that, but the whole time he had dislocated ribs, he tore the ligaments around them.”

Whitelaw said when Daly complained of more pain, they ran a full body scan and discovered the muscle tear in the stomach.

“It was not attached, and the muscle shrunk down,” he said. “When he swings, he uses that area with his stomach and core strength. He could only go so long without hurting. He was in a cycle he could not get out of.”

In more ways than one. 

"The Daly show is no longer funny."

Ron Sirak croons that enough is enough

Clearly, the sponsor exemptions have to stop. Certainly, no one would blame the PGA Tour for imposing a suspension. Absolutely, the media should quit glorifying this behavior. Desperately, someone close to Daly needs to get him the help he needs.

"I don't need a coach. I need a woman in my life."

Okay, John Daly's drinking is a concern, but going through divorce number four and saying things like this takes it to another level. From an unbylined Irish Independent story:

"I don't need a coach," said Daly, reportedly going through his fourth divorce. "I need a woman in my life.

"Once I start playing great golf again, everything will be all right. Now I'm getting poured on, but when I'm playing great, everybody talks about how great I am. That's the way it's always worked.

"I'm hitting the ball great. I'm close now. New Orleans is going to be a great week."

Read it and weep!

One of the most sober assessments of Daly's current predicament was made by Pat Perez, probably one of his closest friends on Tour.

"It used to be cool to hang out with JD and go out and party ... but now you can't drink with him because you're really contributing to something really terrible."

Update on 2008-03-25 15:25 by Geoff

The quotes from Daly (and many more) were originally reported in this Jeremy Fowler Orlando Sentinel story.

"That's why it was a no-brainer for the Buick Open to offer Daly an exemption for this year's tournament when he asked for one."

Carlos Monarrez writes that John Daly deserved the sponsor's invite awarded this week from the Buick Open folks in spite of his recent behavior.

Fans love him for it. After all, it's not about what sports writers, coaches and other pros think of Daly. It's about what he gives fans -- a refreshing dose of honesty among the cookie-cutter world of pro golf.

That's why it was a no-brainer for the Buick Open to offer Daly an exemption for this year's tournament when he asked for one.

Okay fine. And this was a nice touch from Daly:

On the day after Harmon dismissed him, Daly was disqualified from the Bay Hill Invitational for missing his Wednesday pro-am tee time. It was an honest mistake. Daly, who already had played in the Monday pro-am, got the wrong tee information from the tournament office. Daly apologized to tournament host Arnold Palmer and went so far as to track down three corporate representatives from his amateur group and played a round with them Sunday.

But here's the problem...

The truth is that Daly's behavior rarely hurts anyone but himself.

Bob Harig notes that Ryuji Imada might not agree with that statement.

Daly Reacts To DQ, Butch, Gruden

GolfChannel.com has the exclusive and he actually comes off sounding pretty good with his answers.

Daly Misses Pro-Am Tee Time, So Do Alternates

Bob Harig reports. Apparently Sean O'Hair Nick O'Hern and another player pegged as pro-am field alternates were not there either, so they may face disqualification from the Arnold Palmer Invitational as well. Ian Poulter stepped in for Daly.

Update on 2008-03-12 17:39 by Geoff

Steve Elling weighs in with a few more details, including the possibility that Daly was given the wrong tee time.

Alex Miceli says he's been DQ'd, as were Ryuji Imada and Nick O'Hern.

When Daly missed his tee time, the first alternate for the pro-am was elevated to his spot. However, Fredrik Jacobson had been excused because of medical reasons. The second in line was Ryuji Imada, but Imada was not on property and was disqualified from the tournament along with the third morning alternate, Nick O’Hern. Ian Poulter, the first alternate for the afternoon, was available and played in Daly’s spot.

Harmon Revokes Daly's Hall Pass

Tim Rosaforte's original February note on John Daly and Butch Harmon resurfaces in the April Golf Digest, and includes this from Harmon:

"I told [John] to look in the mirror to see the guy who's causing all the problems. On tour, he needs to stay on his bus, stay out of the Hooters and the bars. I told him, 'If you can't do that, we don't have a deal."

Harmon added, "I gave him one hall pass. One is all I'm going to give him."

Not surprisingly, Daly's well documented weekend foray into the Hooter's pavillion did it for Harmon. From a Doug Ferguson wire report:

"My whole goal for him was he's got to show me golf is the most important thing in his life," Harmon said from his golf school in Las Vegas. "And the most important thing in his life is getting drunk."

No one can accuse Butch of holding back. 

"I've let him know that after his actions of last weekend, we are no longer together," Harmon said. "In all honesty, I'm a very busy person. I'm willing to help the kid, but until he helps himself and makes golf his No. 1 priority, I'm not his guy.

"Jon Gruden caddying, I thought was ridiculous. I thought he made a circus out of the whole event."

Daly, who is playing the Arnold Palmer Invitational on a sponsor's exemption, could not be located for comment.

A Day At The Hooter's Owl's Nest With John Daly!

Anwar Richardson reported on John Daly's visit to the Hooter's Owl's Nest, which included this bizarre photo slideshow and accompanying audio where you can hear John sloshed.

The Richardson piece prompted Steve Elling to suggest that Tim Finchem be Dean Wormer to John Daly's Kent Dorfman.

From the Richardson write-up:

Daly, whose best finish this year was tied for 60th in the Mayakoba Golf Classic, and his associates gave a news photographer who tried to take photos of him the middle finger. One member of Daly's group mooned the photographer, resulting in boyish laughter from his group.

The golfing Buddha also willingly autographed Trinity resident Kim Geiger's jeans, who bent over and offered her backside as his canvas.

"I go, 'Here I am again. I'm your worst nightmare.' He goes, 'Oh no you're not, honey. As a matter of fact, I like it when you walk away,'" Geiger said. "He goes, 'I like your butt. I'm an butt man.' He goes, 'And you have a nice butt.' Yeah baby, he likes my butt."

"He's like Randy Moss"

In the latest installment of John Hawkins' Agnostic Golfer column, he buries this lede on John Daly:

I called several tournament heads last week to get a read on whether Daly's ability to sell tickets is worth the headache he has become. Kennerly didn't return my phone call, but others were quick to reply, and there remains little doubt that Long John Seismograph moves the needle more than a hundred John Sendens. "It's a pretty easy decision for us," says Clair Peterson, who runs the John Deere Classic and already has extended Daly an offer to join the field in July.

"He's like Randy Moss," says another. "He's a freak, he can be a huge burden, but in terms of what he brings you, it's a very unique dynamic. The NASCAR crowd, whatever you want to call it, is why 80 to 90 percent of the events will give him an exemption if he's anywhere near the top 100."

Or 531st, which is where Daly currently resides in the World Ranking, as if the NASCAR gang really gives a Hooters how well their man has been playing or whether he'll ever contend again on the weekend. The recent face-saving contest between PGA Tour brass and Westchester CC reminds us that every sputtering, non-Tiger event is a possible endangered species. Perhaps 15 to 18 tournaments are in excellent health; the rest lack significance or sound economics.

Make that two buried ledes: First is that tournament directors still want John Daly, and two, that the non-Tiger events are so desperate they will actually take someone totally unreliable and clearly melting down.  

"That the tour is looking into Daly's week at the Hope is a good sign."

Thanks to reader Taylor for noticing Larry Bohannan's story on John Daly's "lost weekend" in the desert, which raises some tough questions about Daly's future both in this game and sadly, on this planet.

And he seems to be losing whatever battle he's putting up against his excesses. Alcohol, food, cigarettes and partying are all evident. Maggie Downs, a Desert Sun reporter who doesn't really know all the back story on John, just what she was seeing last week as she covered the Hope's celebrity parties, reported on her blog that Daly told her to write that he wasn't drinking at one party as he was knocking back a shot of something alcoholic.

Let's just say I trust Maggie to tell the facts more than I'd trust Daly right now.

This goes well beyond the idea that Daly pulled out of a tournament. This is about a life that many observers believe is in danger. A 41-year-old, 300-pound man who drinks and smokes and eats to excess is in danger of a massive heart attack or stroke.

Forget that he is one of the most physically talented players in the world, when he's focused and wants to play. This is a man who seems unable to control his worst characteristics. Those who have known Daly and have been around him believe he is headed down the road to a sad end.

For all the hushed whispers and huddled meetings about Daly by PGA Tour officials in the last week, the tour might not be able to do much for Daly, because he doesn't really work for the tour. Tour players are independent contractors.

That the tour is looking into Daly's week at the Hope is a good sign.

Daly Withdraws, Bolstering Frivolous Lawsuit Claims**

Is it me or does that chronic pain specialist dude Jim Weathers actually look like Ian Poulter after a whole bunch of steroid injections? (Thanks htt for the image.)

Anyway, Mark Lamport-Stokes reports on the latest John Daly drama, this time at the Hope:

"It killed me today. I had a guy here with me and he popped it back in five times."

Daly's rib injury dates back to the Honda Classic last March when he was disturbed on his back swing by a spectator trying to take a photograph.

"A woman took a picture and I came down and separated my shoulder and fractured my rib," the 1995 British Open champion said. "I tried to play through it all last year and had to withdraw from tournaments because it kept popping out.

Speaking of that, Craig Dolch files a devastating blog post regarding Long John's potential lawsuit against the Honda Classic over his injury:

Why would John sue a tournament where most of the profits go to a children’s charity run in part by the Jack Nicklaus family?

One look at Daly’s golf bag may show why: There are no logos of an equipment company on his bag. Daly, who has the talent and the charisma to be one of the high-paid endorsees on the PGA Tour, is once again without a company.

So maybe that’s why he’s willing to gamble by possibly suing a tournament that gave him a sponsor exemption — Daly actually has asked for another sponsor exemption from Honda for this year!

Honda Classic tournament director Ken Kennerly has tried to remain low-key, saying he can’t comment on a lawsuit that hasn’t been filed. But when the Golf Channel reported last week that Daly has decided to file the lawsuit, other tournament directors took notice.

One, who didn’t want his name used, said as much as a draw Daly is with fans, there’s a limit to what you will put up with. “If I give him a sponsor exemption,” the director said, “should I make him sign a contract where he agrees not to sue me?”

Update on 2008-01-20 05:22 by Geoff

**From Thomas Bonk's story on the withdrawal:

Daly has been a regular this week at the Hope's tournament parties. He attended two more tournament parties Friday night, including an after-party, and told one local reporter to ignore the fact that he was drinking. At the first party, Daly sang "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" in a duet with Alice Cooper. Eyewitnesses said Daly was helped out of the after-party by an unidentified man.

Daly To Get First Lesson From Butch; Countdown To Break-Up Begins

Tim Rosaforte has the news. Oh to be a fly in Butch's indoor teaching center...

Here's the best part:

Daly has no sponsor on his shirt and no exempt status.

Uh, that would be plural Tim. No sponsors.

He also said he has avoided alcohol for a week and didn't visit any casinos during his Vegas stay.

Of course he was only there for a few hours!

"Times are tough," he said. "Only one guy could get me there, and that's Butchie."

Daly Delivers Consistency: Registers Season-Leading 6th WD

Okay, it's not Tiger chasing Jack's 18 or Snead's 82, but according to Craig Dolch, he's leading the tour in WD's with his Ginn Classic bail out.

Meanwhile Steve Elling says the Tour's obviously not fining him enough, then dares to go where few have thought to venture, boldly questioning how fans can keep loving the guy when he pulls this stuff. I also like this point, which does punch a hole in the regular guy persona that Daly has been abusing:

He's become an affront to the credibility of the PGA Tour and has offered repeated slaps to the face of those buying tickets to watch him. Moreover, his behavior is offensive to players who could have better maximized the notable number of wasted, and mostly undeserved, opportunities that Daly received this year from various sponsors.

Nobody received more largesse than his largeness.

Daly, playing mostly on sponsor exemptions because he didn't finished in the top 125 in earnings last year, won't reach the financial threshold again this year, either. He was at No. 182 entering the week, despite playing a full schedule of 24 events. He has been reduced to seeking handouts from title sponsors to get into their fields.

That latter figure means a couple of things. Firstly, many tournament directors are lining up to give him exemptions into their events, because they know that fans buy tickets to watch Daly's seemingly inevitable train wreck. And, second, it underscores that he remains the biggest quitter active in the game today, if that's not an oxymoron.

To wit, Sunday marked his sixth withdrawal of the year.

 He didn't give a reason for quitting but didn't report any injury or illness, a tour media official said. According to tour rules, he has 30 days to send a letter to tour brass outlining his reasoning, which will be reviewed. He faces a possible fine if his excuse doesn't pass muster. Whatever the dollar amount figures to be, and the tour has never disclosed its fines, it clearly hasn't been enough to modify his behavior. He should be booted on general principle for conduct unbecoming a professional.

Daly Fires 63...Presumably With His Own Balls

His second round 63 must have the Taylor Made folks squirming after this Ed Graney column revealed that Long John thinks he's been getting the wrong product..

Daly's erratic round left him 12 shots off Bob May's lead and probably with a better chance of landing the cover of Men's Health than making the cut here. He and playing partner Charles Howell III (2 over par) each began the day driving into rocks, and neither really recovered enough to be concerned with a leaderboard.

"I'm sick of it," Daly said. "I've got the best ball in (the Maxfli Fire) I've ever played with, but I don't know where the hell they are. God bless (Taylor Made). It's not really their fault. It's the plant in (Greenville) South Carolina. I've never swung a club better in my life than I am right now. I'm not going to blame myself anymore. I'm a better player than this.

"They can do whatever the hell they want to me, but they're sending me a harder ball. It's good for a guy who spins the living crap out of it, but I don't and it's killing me. I've told them every week, and they still keep getting me the wrong balls."

Taylor Made officials in California couldn't be reached for comment, although that might be attributed to faulty cell phone reception. There's a good chance the only words they heard on a message left late Thursday afternoon were "John Daly's balls," which they would probably assume had nothing to do with golf and instead just another off-course incident with their imperfect and yet likeable client.

Mrs. Daly Attempts To Implement Alternative Weight Loss Program On Husband*

Good times in Memphis...

John Daly, who lives on the course where he is playing in the Stanford St. Jude Championship, reported to authorities that his wife attempted to stab him with a steak knife early Friday, authorities said.

Daly, 41, called police about 6 a.m. on Friday to report the alleged assault, Shelby County Sheriff's department spokesman Steve Shular said.

IN-PROGRESS SCORES: Updates from St. Jude Championship

When deputies arrived, she and the couple's children were not there. Deputies could not find the knife he claimed she used.

Red marks could be seen on both of Daly's cheeks as his warmed up on the course Friday afternoon. Play had been delayed by weather.

It will be Daly's decision whether to press charges, Shular said. No charges had been filed Friday afternoon.

Update on 2007-06-09 04:38 by Geoff

* Daly comments:

"While I slept at home last night, I was the victim of an assault by my wife," Daly said.

"This morning, I filed a complaint with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. They are investigating, and I'll have no further comment on the matter while they pursue their investigation.

"My only concern at this point is for the safety of my children and myself, and we are working closely with local authorities and PGA Tour security officials to assure appropriate safeguards."