It’s hot, but John Daly still rocking and rolling

August 9th, 2007 | Posted by PostmanR

Apparently, there is some sort of “major” golf tournament that started up today in Tulsa, Okla., called the PGA Championship. And it was bit of a scorcher (el scorcho, ay calor!) out on the links today, with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees. Well, the dude of all dudes, John Daly, is in the lead. (Warning: long but necessary blockquote ahead.)

Playing about two and a half hours from his home in Dardanelle, Ark., the rotund Daly turned in his best score of the 2007 season despite not playing a practice round at Southern Hills before the championship. He said he spent the past couple days practicing at a different golf course and playing slots.

Despite temperatures that soared into the upper 90s, the 41-year-old Daly carded four birdies against one bogey and kept himself occupied between shots with a pack of cigarettes and cans of diet soda.

“I grew up around this — I’m used to it,” Daly said of the heat. “I just light up a cigarette and drink some caffeine and it works.”

Daly’s year has been marred by poor play — he has missed eight cuts and has withdrawn from four tournaments — and the accusation from him in June at the St. Jude Classic that his wife, Sherrie, tried to attack him with a steak knife. (Sherrie had accused Daly of assault.)

He showed up to the tournament’s second round with red marks on his cheeks and finished the tournament in 79th place.

No matter the state of Daly’s game or his life, however, fans flock to his galleries, as they did Thursday.

“Through these ups and downs, they’re still coming to watch,” he said.

Guy didn’t even play a practice round at Southern Hills. Right on. If Daly keeps this up all weekend and Tiger is close Sunday, this will be the first time in any major tournament — or ever, really — I’ll actually root against Tiger Woods. (I mean, it’s hard because he is SO NOW, after all.)

Cheers, John.