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No show Daly disqualified
12/03/2008 20:20 - (SA)
Orlando, Florida - One day after his swing coach quit, John Daly missed his pro-am time on Wednesday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and was disqualified from the tournament.
Daly, invited to Bay Hill on a sponsor's exemption, told tournament officials he thought his tee time was 09:47 instead of 08:40. He was on his way to the golf course when told there was no point in showing up.
His disqualification wound up knocking two other players out of the tournament.
Ryuji Imada and Nick O'Hern thought they were alternates for the afternoon session of the pro-am. Neither was at Bay Hill when Daly missed his time, so they also were disqualified from playing this week.
Imada was among those who tied for second last week at the PODS Championship, and at No 68 in the world, he is trying to crack the top 50 to qualify for the US Masters.
O'Hern was furious to learn he had been disqualified, especially because he lives only five minutes away at Isleworth.
"When I should have been on the tee, I was giving my girls breakfast," O'Hern said. "I thought common sense would have prevailed. This is a tough one to take. Unfortunately, we got caught up in John's snowball effect."
Sponsor's exemption
Daly could not be located for comment, and his agent, Bud Martin, did not immediately return a phone call.
The US tour has a policy that anyone missing the pro-am cannot play in the tournament except for a valid excuse, such as an injury. Phil Mickelson missed his pro-am at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship last year, but was allowed to play because he his flight was delayed by weather.
Daly, playing on a sponsor's exemption at the PODS Champions because he no longer has his full US tour card, spent a 2 1/2-hour rain delay during the first round in a corporate hospitality tent behind the 17th green. He was 3 over, and finished with a 77.
He followed that with an 80 in the second round to miss the cut.
Daly spent Saturday at the tournament, drinking beer, mingling with fans and signing autographs, including one on the back of a woman's pants.
- AP
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