Thursday was the day for which I, and all the other true believers, have been been waiting. John Daly shot a 67. After one round of the Farmers Insurance Open, he's three strokes out of the lead.
Also shooting a 67 was Phil Mickelson. Tiger Woods shot a 69.
I've always found Daly compelling because he doesn't pretend to be anything but who he is. I've interviewed him four times. The most recent was the best. He was across the street from Augusta National Golf Club, hawking merchandise in the parking lot of a nondescript strip mall.
I was told he wasn't doing interviews, so I bought a John Daly autographed cap for $20, which my Boston terrier later chose to eat. After I handed him the $20, I introduced myself and told him what I did. Between the cigarettes he chain-smoked, we talked as he sold.
Daly's appeal is that he is anti-country club. He is not pastels and deck shoes, khaki pants and shirts with gators or polo players. On Thursday in the first round in San Diego his pants looked like a crazed maze, swirling pink and orange and pretty much every other color you could name.
Daly is grip it and rip it, just smack the thing and see where it lands. At the age of 44, he remains the icon for those of us who would feel uncomfortable belonging to any country club that would have us.
If Daly has a round today like he had Thursday, and can sustain it through the weekend, the possiblities are enormous.
One of them is that we'll be able to read about a golfer other than Tiger Woods.
John Daly is also a drunk, a wife beater and a fat slob. Some icon...
Posted by: me | January 28, 2011 at 10:20 AM
RETIRE YOU HACK!!!!!
Posted by: F TOM | January 28, 2011 at 10:51 AM
To me: you may the most ignorant fool on the face of the earth. He was a "wife beaten", not beater, documented by the pics and arrests of his ex's. Also I would bet he weighs far less than you, unless my hunch that you are HIV positive is true.
Posted by: goose | January 28, 2011 at 12:27 PM
Daly's a slob and a bum and that's his appeal. And if the rest of you assfaces can't dig that then don't watch him. Get a clue, scheeze.
Posted by: DooWayne | January 28, 2011 at 12:50 PM
If it wasn't for John Daly golf would be a total bore. Wake me when he makes the cut.
Posted by: David | January 28, 2011 at 04:16 PM
Yet another "Sorensen story" that has nothing to do with Panthers or NFL but is on the Panthers page. Is the webmaster an idiot who does not know where to post stories according to content??????
Posted by: Top Cat | January 28, 2011 at 04:17 PM
Whatever you say, Groucho.
"At the age of 44, he remains the icon for those of us who would feel uncomfortable belonging to any country club that would have us."
Posted by: John W. | January 28, 2011 at 06:51 PM
I doubt he weighs less than I do. Then again, I also haven't had to have surgery to take weight off because I lack the self control to not overeat. Secondly, I am not talking about the time his wife scratched his face. I'm talking about the early 90's when he knocked his wife around. He also is a chronic quitter. I will put serious money that by the end of the week he is nowhere near the top of the leaderboard.
Posted by: me | January 28, 2011 at 09:18 PM