John Daly, clad in pants by Loudmouth, contends at PGA

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/story/2012-08-09/John-Daly-PGA-Championship/56920052/1

John Daly, clad in pants by Loudmouth, contends at PGA
By Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Updated 1h 16m ago
CommentsReprints & Permissions
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – While there wasn't much wind blowing off the Atlantic Ocean early Thursday, a blast from the past wearing shocking pants shook up the PGA Championship on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island.


John Raoux, AP
John Daly watches his putt on the 13th hole as he surprisingly is up with the leaders in the first round of the PGA Championship on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, S.C.
E
John
John Daly watches his putt on the 13th hole as he surprisingly is up with the leaders in the first round of the PGA Championship on the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, S.C.

Twenty-one years removed from becoming a folk hero with his grip-it-and-rip-it manner under a free-flowing mullet as he won the 1991 PGA Championship, John Daly fired a 4-under-par 68 to set up for another stunner in the last major of the year.
While the mullet is gone and his rough-and-tumble personal life is on a smoother plane, the two-time major champion is still trying to recapture his best days on the golf course. Daly, 46, has just three top-10s in his last 52 worldwide starts, is at No. 219 in the world, and hasn't won anywhere in the world since the 2004 Buick Invitational.
But with four birdies, and an eagle on the par-5 11th, Daly, wearing a pair of orange Attababe pants by Loudmouth, is just two shots out of the lead midway through the first round.
"I'm just kind of loosey-goosey out there," said Daly, who finished in a tie for fifth in last week's Reno-Tahoe Open. "And it just feels good. And I think for me, to just freewheel it is the only way I can get my confidence back instead of worrying about bad breaks and worrying about this and worrying about what somebody else is doing.
"I only need to worry about what I'm doing and go out and attack and play golf and enjoy it."
As Daly's name went up the leader board, fans started to flock to his group. But Daly isn't getting too excited and he's not thinking about winning the Wanamaker Trophy for a second time.
"I just want to play," Daly said. "I love to play great, but as long as I walk out of here knowing I played and did the best I can, that's all that matters. And the way I'm hitting it, I just don't want to get too up or too down about it. It's just the first round.
"But I like where I'm at, and I like the way I'm playing and I like the way I'm feeling."

And recently:

Daly's book "My Life In The Rough", was a pretty good read.

Daly is the only guy I would like to see win as much as tiger......keep it together today JD!

Actually playing really well since the British Open. Had a good tourney last week (top 10) and if he got to within three shots of the lead on Sunday would have as good a chance as anyone.

Would love to see it.

I've always liked John Daly. He is what he is. I'm watching him practice on the range on the Golf Channel right now, and he's got a cigarette in his mouth hitting balls. That's old school. He don't give a shit what people think of him.

I am not a therapist but reading Daly's book lead me to the conclusion he suffers from what some psychoanalysis refer to as SAM. SAM is addiction to sex, alcohol and money either in part or completely. One's mental and physical health will deteriorate if SAM is your favorite companion according to most experts. Daly's constant challenge is fighting his own demons but he is not the first man ever made from flesh and bone to ever have battled addicitive behavioral problems.

Course is playing too easy to make this interesting for me.

This is just another John Deere Classic with these low scores on a boring course.

Give me the U.S. Open with the leaders struggling to shoot par.

I do agree and would love to see JD take this major.

mr21 said:

Course is playing too easy to make this interesting for me.

This is just another John Deere Classic with these low scores on a boring course.

Give me the U.S. Open with the leaders struggling to shoot par.

I do agree and would love to see JD take this major.

Click to expand...

It is a 3 club wind on the course today. It will be tough for anybody to shoot par. Because of the wind conditions, many have called this one of the 10 toughest courses in America. John Daly is already 3 over on his first 3 holes going against the wind.

any course is difficult with extremely windy conditions

the scorecards from Thurs don't lie

I would have lost 5 balls by now on the front nine playing in that wind. I could lose a ball on the green.

mr21 said:

any course is difficult with extremely windy conditions

the scorecards from Thurs don't lie

Click to expand...

Yeah, but this is a bit different course than your average John Deere layout. The ocean breeze feels about twice as hard as a land breeze. And also this course is a links type course, but with elevated greens and steep dropoffs. Which makes it twice as difficult as your average course on a windy day.

GoSooners said:

Yeah, but this is a bit different course than your average John Deere layout. The ocean breeze feels about twice as hard as a land breeze. And also this course is a links type course, but with elevated greens and steep dropoffs. Which makes it twice as difficult as your average course on a windy day.

Click to expand...

Ive only played near the ocean twice, both times in Maui. Ive never played golf at another course where the wind effects the ball as much as an ocean wind. Its totally different than the wind in Texas

taylor13 said:

Ive only played near the ocean twice, both times in Maui. Ive never played golf at another course where the wind effects the ball as much as an ocean wind. Its totally different than the wind in Texas

Click to expand...

Yeah, I agree. I played an Arnold Palmer design course on the Big Island in Hawaii. And the ocean holes were definitely tougher. I also play a course in my city that is right off a lake. And the first 5 holes on it can be brutal. Whereas the holes inland from the lake you feel no wind at all.