Daly ready for Tour comeback

Six months after being suspended by the US PGA Tour, the people’s favourite John Daly is set to return to the circuit that made him a global star.

Daly, who has won two major titles but more recently has been making headlines off the golf course, is to play in the US Open qualifiers in Memphis on Monday. He is then scheduled to tee off in the St Jude Championship.

Having lost weight and playing reasonably well on the European Tour, Daly is ready to once again make an impact. Daly, who was experiencing alcohol-related problems that led to an overnight stay in jail and his suspension, said in a Golf Digest article:

“I’m way ahead of where I thought I would be and I’m starting to get some confidence back. The fire is still there. Even when I’ve been out of it over here, not in contention (in Europe), I’m grinding, working on things. People have accused me of giving up, mailing it in. But I’m a fighter. I’m trying, and I want to be competitive. I’ve still got a good feel for the game.”

The 43-year-old’s best performance so far in Europe was second place in the Italian Open. His fitness regime, mostly walking on the golf course, has helped keep the weight off, which he achieved with lap band stomach surgery.

He has even signed an endorsement deal with a sports drink company, helping him to start earning some money through sponsorship rather than selling trinkets at tournaments.

If there is one golfer who can match Tiger Woods for pulling power, then it is John Daly. Certainly, his fans are hoping the former US PGA Championship and British Open winner can rise to the occasion one more time.


2 Responses to “Daly ready for Tour comeback”

  1. Lyall Davidson says:

    Great to see John Daly back in the game!

    He struggles with the weight, the booze and the temperament, just like any of us might and is still capable of turning in superb rounds of golf, which most of us don’t.

    The sport is always in danger of erring on the stifling, over-conservative side, so it was gratifying to see him in his multi-coloured pants, reminding everybody that it’s how well you play that counts, not – within the limits of safety and practicality and the norms of decency – what you are wearing.

    There is no denying Daly’s popular appeal. The challenge to Golf is how to capitalise on that popularity and not drive away potentially talented youngsters just because they don’t conform to the norms set by Woods, Faldo, Player and Nicklaus.

  2. Ron Mullard says:

    Good on you John,I’ve been wishing for a long time that you could get yourself back on track and reproduce the magic on course that you first showed you are one of my favorite golfers, apart from the huge drives you posess a superb short game the likes of which I long for in my own game.Now that you are putting your mind to it I wish you all the success in the world,lets see you back at top of the scoreboard again challenging for the honours.Good luck (Wid Thing)

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