Is there anyone who isn’t hoping that John Daly will finally turn his life around? Does anyone believe that he will?
Unfortunately, the answers are probably “yes, a few,” and “no,” respectively.
Daly recently announced that the PGA Tour has suspended him for six months for behavior that has embarrassed it. His conduct came to a head last October when spent the night in a Winston-Salem, N.C., jail following a night of partying with his loyal fans at a local Hooter’s Restaurant. The mug shot of a bleary-eyed Daly in an orange jump suit isn’t exactly the image the PGA Tour wants to project.
By Daly’s own account, this is at least the third time the PGA Tour has asked him to take some time off to get things together.
So now Daly says he will try his luck on the European PGA Tour, which he probably would have to do anyway if he wants to keep playing golf for a living. His PGA Tour status was limited and you only get so many sponsor exemptions.
Still, most of us pull for Daly. He sings, plays guitar, talks to anyone, does a boatload of charity work, and he’s so vulnerable. Most of us just want it to be all right for Big John. Unfortunately, he’s enabled by his adoring blue-collar (and quite a few white-collar) fans who like to smoke and drink with him. And his affiliation with Hooters certainly isn’t helping his cause.
Truth is that most people are what they are by the time they reach adulthood, and Daly has been what he is for a very long time now. Daly reminds you of one of those guys who win the lottery, blow all the money and then somehow is lucky enough to win it again. Most of us are pretty sure we would be set for life if we won one lottery – much less two or three – and we don’t understand how anyone else couldn’t make it work.
Daly hit his first jackpot with the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick, then hit again with the 1995 British Open title at St. Andrews. He also has 16 other professional victories, yet somehow, he always seems to be nearing the bottom.
How many more lotteries are in Daly’s future? Maybe there are no more.
What Daly needs is a life-changing influence in his life. You know, like Jesus, or some other miracle. Because Daly has too many demons and addictions to do it on his own.
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1. He makes stupid decisions on the golf course, always going for broke. If a guy with more natural talent, like Phil Mickleson, can't win with this strategy, how might Daly?
2. His value system is anchored in the same inane decision-making culture that fosters stasis.
3. His parents smoked and ate poorly. Don't know if they drank, but his apparent alcoholism seems to indicate some bloodlines for drunkenness.
4. My guess is that, should someone do a psychological profile of him, we would find that he has high skill and low self esteem, the perfect combination for a flame-out. He should be the subject of a Bad Company song:
Johnny was a schoolboy when he heard his first Beatle song,
'Love me do,' I think it was. From there it didn't take him long.
Got himself a guitar, used to play every night,
Now he's in a rock 'n' roll outfit,
And everything's all right, don't you know?
Johnny told his mama, hey, 'Mama, I'm goin' away. I'm gonna hit the big
time, gonna be a big star someday', Yeah.
Mama came to the door with a teardrop in her eye.
Johnny said, 'Don't cry, mama, smile and wave good-bye'.
Don't you know, yeah yeah, Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you know, don't you know. Don't you know that you are
a shooting star, And all the world will love you just as long,
As long as you are.
Johnny made a record, Went straight up to number one,
Suddenly everyone loved to hear him sing the song.
Watching the world go by, surprising it goes so fast.
Johnny looked around him and said, 'Well, I made the big time at last'.
Don't you know, don't you know, Don't you know that you are
a shooting star,
Don't you know, oh, yeah, Don't you know that you are
a shooting star, yeah,
And all the world will love you just as long,
As long as you are, a shooting star.
Don't you know that you are a shooting star, Don't you know, yeah,
Don't you know that you are a shooting star, now,
And all the world will love you just as long, As long you are you.
Johnny died one night, died in his bed, Bottle of whiskey,
sleeping tablets by his head. Johnny's life passed him by like a
warm summer day, If you listen to the wind you can still hear him play
Oh oh oh, Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you know, yeah, don't you know', Don't you know that
you are a shooting star,
Don't you know, yeah,
Don't you know that you are a shooting star,
Don't you, don't you,
don't you, don't you,
Don't you know, don't you
know, oh, yeah, you are,
Yeah, a shooting star, yeah, oh
oh oh oh oh......
Don't you, don't you know
that you are a shooting star,
Don't you don't you know......