They weren’t sure he was coming to the championship

They weren’t sure he was coming to the championship. They were even more surprised yesterday morning to find him standing on the first tee “I am sorry, Mr Daly,” the starter said. “Your name’s not in the book.”

They weren’t sure he was coming to the championship. They were even more surprised yesterday morning to find him standing on the first tee “I am sorry, Mr Daly,” the starter said. “Your name’s not in the book.”
Five years ago John Daly didn’t need to reserve a tee time for a practise round.

This time they squeezed him in, behind Bernhard Langer, who is not exactly greased lightning when it comes to pace of play, but it meant the 1995 Open champion playing on his own.”I am so unpopular I can’t get anybody to play with me,” the former Wild Thing said He was joking. The perception is that a lot of bourbon has flowed under the Swilken bridge since Daly kissed the claret jug here. Five years ago he gorged himself on burgers, chocolates and ice cream and drank Diet Coke from the jug. He stayed at the Old Course Hotel and didn’t touch the champagne that was laid on for him.He’s back at the hotel but in a different room, this one overlooking the 17th, the Road Hole. He might have one or two for the road for he’s off the wagon.

“I haven’t drunk whisky since I was 25,” said Daly, who is 34 “I won’t touch Jack Daniels. I used to drink that stuff out of the bottle but now I can’t stand the smell of it I’ll have a beer but no spirits I might have a vodka with just a splash of lemonade. I don’t have the strong stuff.”With Long John it was all or nothing. He was a compulsive eater, drinker, gambler and that was on a good day His career has followed a similarly dangerous path. When he made a sensational impact at the US PGA championship at Crooked Stick in Indiana in 1991 he was drinking during the event.

He only got in as ninth reserve and overnight became a very hot property This was pre-Tiger Woods. Then came his second major triumph, over the old course, defeating Costantino Rocca in a play-off. Callaway signed him to play their clubs but have now discarded him. The American company is happy to associate itself with Colin Montgomerie Much more wholesome and fewer sleepless nights Even so, Daly has two major titles, Monty none.