John Daly drives his way into PGA Championship scene
ASSOCIATED PRESS
John Daly lifts a rope to get his golf cart to the 12th tee during the first round of the PGA Championship golf tournament today at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. >> John Daly’s driving is better than his … driving.
The two-time major winner was given a rare exemption to be allowed to use a cart for the PGA Championship at Bethpage Black because arthritis in his knee that had him walking with a pronounced limp.
In the opening round, he steered his cart around TV crews and hazards and politely lagged behind playing partners Y.E. Yang and Rich Beem, who were walking.
Daly’s tee shots were another story.
He flew the green off the tee on the par-3 14th and found the greenside bunker on No. 17, another par 3. On the 18th, he was way right into a fairway bunker, and he finished his first nine holes at 4 over. He missed the fairway on Nos. 1 and 3 as well.
And the crowd loved every minute of it.
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Fans lined up along the first tee to get a picture of him driving away in his cart, though some howled at the image of him in his garish slacks adorned with New York Yankees logos, driving around like a weekend duffer.
But when Daly he arrived at the 18th green, he received a huge ovation.
