Capelle On Golf

I’m amazed at the amount of coverage that John Daly continues to generate in the media. He’s treated like some rock star mega talent when his game has been out of tune for over a decade.

Daly has somehow managed to become the most overrated player in the game’s history, the subject of gallons of ink that could have been spent on far more deserving players.

But there is a reason why the media continues to write about his troubles – the public loves to read and hear about people’s scandalous behavior. Just look at the coverage given to Gov. Eliot Spitzer and his play pal, Ashley Alexandra Dupre

In reality, the whole Daly story has been a big lie. He is not and never really has been the common man, at least let’s hope not. The common man is not 100 pounds overweight, four times divorced, and addicted to booze, gambling, and self destructive behavior.

And as for Daly’s enormous talent, he’s never really done that much on tour. Sure, he managed to win two majors - but they must increasingly be viewed as flukes in light of the rest of his resume. On the PGA Tour he’s won only three other tour events. In the majors, the ones that count, his record is nothing short of a joke considering how much talent everyone says he has. Consider these numbers.

Daly’s Last 49 Majors Since the 1995 British Open
15 – the number he’s completed 72 holes
20 – the number of cut’s he’s missed
2 - the number he’s withdrawn from
12 – DNP – those that he’s failed to qualify for

That’s right folks. Since winning the British Open in 1995 at age 29, he has exactly one finish in the top 25, a 15t at the 2005 British Open.

As for his last three years on tour (2006-08) they have been nothing short of a train wreck. Consider these stats:
52 events
19 played all 72 holes
3 top 25s
21 missed cuts
12 withdrawals

Daly’s game has not warranted a drop of ink since he lost a playoff to Tiger Woods in 2005, and little more since the ‘95 Open. His story has remained the same – play a little, get drunk a lot, gamble, have his good old boy story told in the media – and around and around it goes. It is time – way past time in fact – that the fans and the media exit the Daly merry-go-round.

His ridiculously long swing and his record indicate that he had nowhere near the potential everyone has credited him with. And witnessing his sad story repeated over and over is like seeing the same tragic comedy for the dozenth time. Perhpas if everyone stopped paying attention to Daly for a while, maybe for once he’d pay attention to himself.