Daly speaks

This transcript just in from the PR Dept at the Golf Channel, which interviewed John Daly for Golf Central

On his Disqualification from the Arny Invy:

Peter was here, my caddie. We left at 8:30 to go to the golf course to play the Pro-Am. I was right almost at Gate A when (Tournament director) Mark Russell said I missed my tee time. I said, ‘No I was supposed to go off at 9:47’. He said, ‘No, you were at 8:40.’ I said, ‘That is kind of weird because we called the tournament yesterday when I was out here at Celebration practicing and that was the time the lady gave us.’

The weird thing was why Peter didn’t think we should call back was I thought I was going to go early because that is what I requested. Robert [Gamez] said the first time isn’t going to be until 8 anyway because it is going to get light at 7:30 with the time change. So we didn’t even think about calling back. So that’s cool. No big deal.

It is just unfortunate stuff like this happens. I feel bad for Arnold because he gave me the spot. Had a great hug from him in the Monday pro-am on number seven. I love him to death. First time in 17 or 18 years that I have ever missed a tee-time. I feel responsible for it but I just feel bad this had to happen with all of the other crap going on in my life. I would never miss Arnold Palmer’s Pro-Am if he wanted me to play. I would never miss that tee time. Unfortunately I just got a bad time.

I’ve always played pretty good here. I think Arnold inspires me and makes me play a little better. I don’t know. I’ve never won here. I’ve had some great finishes and some good rounds. I feel bad for all this to happen. I’ve got to take the responsibility. I should have checked my time again.

On Splitting with Butch Harmon:

You know I haven’t seen the articles. I didn’t watch the Golf Channel last night. But Butch didn’t call me to let me know. I just texted Butch to say, ‘I just wish you would have called me,’ that’s all. I said, ‘I love you like a brother. You're the greatest golf coach, anywhere. I think you are better than anybody.’ This is unfortunate. I just wish he would have called me, that’s all.

On Events during PODS Championship:

Peter has had a neck problem for about the last two months. Jimmy has popped him back in. His neck was killing him. It got cold. And I said ‘Peter, let’s get Coach to caddy the last six or seven holes because darkness was going to come. I mean, it wasn’t like, you know, Peter was hurt. So, no problem, it was great for the tournament. Everybody loved it.

Same thing Saturday at Tampa. Gerald, the tournament director, says ‘Do you want to go to the Owl’s Nest?’ I said yeah I am already going because Hooters wants me to be there. Sign hats. Talking to the fans and having a good time. This thing about flipping a camera guy off. Well, we may have done it in fun. Half the time I take pictures with guys they want me to flip the picture off because that is what they want. We were having a good time. Nobody was loud. I thought it was good for the tournament. Hooters loved it. I sat there and ate, had a few beers with Peter. Wasn’t drunk or anything. I was there for four hours signing things. It was a good thing. But now it seems like this guy who wrote this article about me flipping off the camera guy, I guess he just doesn’t like me. But it wasn’t anything mean or anything. It was fun. That is just the way my life is going right now. You think you are doing somebody a good thing and somebody just wants to bring it all down. If that is how they want to live, then so be it. I can’t live that way.

Dumb, dumb Daly

It's official now: It's time to give up on John Daly.

Yesterday, Butch Harmon, swing coach to many PGA Tour stars, dropped Daly as a client, saying the bloated blubbo was no longer worth the bother.

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

This after Daly, who has lost his PGA Tour card, famously glugged his way through the Bob Hope Classic. Then, during a 2 1/2 hour weather delay at last week's PODS Championship, Daly retreated to a hospitality tent.

How did Daly respond to Harmon's rebuke?

At the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, where he had been given a precious sponsor's exemption by one of the most respected, legendary figures in the game, Daly was a no-show for his 8:40 a.m. tee time in the pro-am. Unless he's got one heck of an excuse, that'll get him nixed from the field.

Some people never learn, and apparently Daly has his sights on the top of the list.

Say what???

An email poured in from a reader/viewer, wondering if they heard Sean O'Hair's post-victory interview at the PODS Championship correctly. When O'Hair thanked his caddie, his coach and his father-in-law, did NBC's Jimmy Robert's mis-hear or whatever and think the young golfer was thanking his actual father, from whom he is famously estranged?

Yes, that's exactly what happened.

To the tape:

O’HAIR: “I gotta thank my caddie Paul Tesori and my coach Steve Dahlby, and most of all I want to thank my father-in-law. You know he was there last week (tears in his eyes) and gave me a good pep talk.”

ROBERTS: “Really? I think a lot of people who don’t know a lot about golf might be surprised to hear that. But things are OK with you and him now?”

O’HAIR: “NO my father-IN-LAW Steve Lucas. My father-in-law used to be on the bag…”