Daly uncorks verbal swings

Harmon blamed for his troubles

SOUTHPORT, England - To hear John Daly tell it, he's a combination of Jack LaLanne and Andrew Carnegie. You know, working hard and devoting his life to charity.

If you believe otherwise, well, you're listening to rumors about his lifestyle that aren't true, and for that Daly points his finger at swing coach Butch Harmon.

"I think his lies kind of destroyed my life for a little bit," said Daly, whose game has disappeared, though his value to the British tabloids remains priceless. Thus it was a good day for the scribes, because on the final day of preparation for the 137th Open Championship, Daly arrived at the media center to tell people that his life - and his golf - aren't quite as bad as some might think.

But he's played in 15 tournaments this year in both the US and Europe and made just four cuts.

"It's not like I'm shooting really, really bad numbers," said Daly. "I'm one or two putts or one swing away from shooting under par just about every round the way I've played this year."

Curious, because the record shows he's 78 over par in his 30 rounds on the PGA Tour, and he has broken 70 just three times. But anyway, what about the notion that tournament directors are a bit more hesitant to extend sponsor's exemptions?

"I think if they look at the big picture, that I want to play and it goes back to the ailments, it goes back to being hurt," said Daly.

Specifically, Daly said he had tendinitis in his left elbow and a cyst on his right hand, and that he's here at Royal Birkdale against doctor's orders because "it's an Open - it's very special to me."

To hear Daly tell it, the reason he's made just 20 cuts in his last 57 tournaments dating to 2006 has nothing to do with the heavy drinking and wild partying, because according to him, "I'm not drinking hardly at all and I never go out." But he appears to be grossly overweight. "I'm eating too much," he said.

Though he hasn't played in a tournament the last two weeks, Daly claims he hasn't been away from the game. Instead, "I was at home [in Arkansas] for about the last three or four days and I probably practiced harder than I have in about two years."

All of this, of course, was great fuel for reporters who've now had Daly stories to write for nearly 17 years, or since that unforgettable August week when he won the PGA Championship after having started the week as ninth alternate. He added a second major at the 1995 British Open, but it is his lifestyle that has always captivated fans and provided copy for reporters. Since that triumph at St. Andrews, Daly has played in 10 Open Championships, made just three cuts, finished better than T-66 just once, and gone 64 over par for 26 rounds.

It mirrors the overall sad state of his game, but even in such disarray, there was hope for Daly's game when it was reported that he had recruited Harmon late in 2007. The relationship barely survived the winter, and in mid-March Harmon confirmed he had stopped working with Daly.

At the time, Harmon told the Associated Press: "My whole goal for him was he's got to show me golf is the most important thing in his life. And the most important thing in his life is getting drunk."

Adding to his "wild thing" legend, Daly also was at the center of a string of incidents that put him in a bad light. During a rain delay at the PODS Championship in March he ducked into a Hooters corporate tent and later allowed NFL coach Jon Gruden to caddie some holes for him; he was filmed by a local reporter in Missouri playing golf barefoot and without a shirt; and at the recent Buick Open he played alongside Kid Rock in a pro-am and hit a golf ball off of a beer can.

"What am I going to do, say no to Kid Rock?" said Daly, who added that he had not yet heard from PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem on that.

Explaining to reporters that his visit to the Hooters tent during that rain delay had more to do with loyalty to a company that supports him and a charitable endeavor to raise money, Daly blamed Harmon for helping damage his reputation, though it should be noted that his image as a hard-drinking, wild-partying, reckless free spirit was enhanced by a book he authored a year ago more than anything Harmon said. But, anyway, that was Daly's take before his practice round at Royal Birkdale and he was sticking to it, going so far as to say, "I don't know what [Harmon's] problem is, but he needs to stay as far away from me as he possibly can."

That doesn't seem to be much of a problem for Harmon, because he remains a hot commodity in the business, and as Daly was busy delivering his salvos, the swing coach was working the range. After nearly an hour with Ernie Els, Harmon checked in on Stewart Cink, but before jumping over to work with Adam Scott, he agreed to stop for a couple of reporters. Yes, Harmon had heard about Daly's charges, and he shook his head.

"I'm sorry he feels that way," said Harmon. "I like JD. He's a good guy. He just needs to step up to the plate and take responsibility for his own actions, and he'll be fine."