There’s a guy who changed the way people looked at pro golfers in the 1990s. Won some majors and broke the mold. No, we’re not talking about Tiger, somebody else.
People can’t help but wonder what-if when it comes to John Daly. Some consider his career a big waste of talent after the second of the two majors he won, the British Open 20 years ago, after the PGA Championship win in 1991 that made him an instant star.
Since then he’s been known more for being John Daly, the personality with a wild lifestyle, than John Daly, the championship golfer with the big drive.
He’s 48 now, still fun to watch. And he’s a golf survivor.
So, that’s part of why I sought him out Thursday afternoon at Waialae. Daly was bogey-free and 2 under when he made the turn.
By the time I got to him at the 13th hole, he was 2 over — and not that it took long to find him. Daly is easy to locate … just look for the trademark Barney Rubble hair and the most colorful pants on the tour. Or sniff the air for cigarette smoke.
I wasn’t alone, of course … no one ever is in a Daly gallery, regardless of how well he is or isn’t playing.
On this day, it was mostly not-so-good on the back nine after the solid front and he ended the day with at 1-over 71, tied for 94th. He’s going to have to play well in today’s second round to make the cut.
The atmosphere of a Daly gallery is as close as you’ll get in golf to what ringside at a boxing card used to be like. Not everyone is smoking cigars, drinking beer and eating hot dogs, but it sure seems like it.
It’s not crazy out-of-control like at the 16th hole of the Phoenix Open or a scene from Happy Gilmore … especially on this quiet first round at placid Waialae Country Club.
But it sure is different than any other group of spectators. More colorful, like Daly’s pants. From afar, the pair he wore Thursday looked something like camouflage if we lived in a world of blue and black foliage.
Daly’s enduring popularity is not just because he’s different and willing to be himself. He still has the long-strike ability despite a litany of injuries. He whacked his 1-iron Thursday as far as some of the distance covered by the drivers of his playing partners.
But he also missed a 1-foot putt for birdie on his last hole (No. 9 at Waialae for this tournament).
"Besides that I’ve been putting great," Daly said.
He grinned and shrugged it off, but it could come back to haunt him come the cut.
Maybe he’s OK with it because he is coming off a win. No, it wasn’t the U.S. or British Open, it was a 54-hole event in Turkey. But it’s still a win, Daly’s first in 10 years.
He’s never come close here, tied for 27th in 1997 being his best finish. But Daly has piled up $115,355.60 of winnings in 11 appearances at Waialae, mostly through sponsor’s exemptions.
"The greens are so good you always feel you’re going to putt good," he said, but added that the fairways are "not good for your stats."
He’s looking forward to the Champions Tour in a couple of years, but said he believes he can still compete with the prime-time players.
John Daly might never win again on the PGA Tour, but it’s still interesting to watch him battle par and the cutline.
Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at hawaiiwarriorworld.com/quick-reads.
