2006 Rough For Daly—2007 Not Looking Better

It’s been a rough year for John Daly, as he has battled through physical injuries and has recently filed for divorce from his fourth wife four months after she finished serving time on federal charges involving an illegal gambling operation and a drug ring.

2007 is not shaping up to be any better. Finishing 193 on the money list, he will be without full playing privileges for the first time since 1991. That means he’ll have to rely on sponsors exemptions to have any chance of making it back on tour. I can’t imagine him going through Q school.

I have a lot of sympathy for Daly—probably because I know a guy who is a lot like him who has had similar run of bad judgment and bad luck. My friend is a large, friendly, somewhat naive, salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. He’s got a heart of gold that has led him to become the victim of several rather evil women. And he has suffered through a list of medical problems that you wouldn’t wish on your enemies. He doesn’t have Daly’s gambling addiction, or self destrictive tendencies, but my buddy makes me realize that there are some really good people for whom things just don’t ever seem to work out.

I imagine that Daly is a lot like that. He probably had the best of intentions when marrying his first wife—and his second—and his third—and his fourth. I’m sure he was completely unprepared for the fame and riches that were thrown at him following his bolt-out-of-the-blue victory at the 1991 PGA. His various addictions probably took him somewhat by surprise. And no one can plan for injuries which pop up at exactly the wrong time.

I hope that—for both my friend and for Daly—things finally settle down and the next year is better than the last few.