Daly could use this kind of double
PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- The interview session had ended but John Daly's considerable bulk still was occupying every nook and cranny of the easy chair in the spotlight. Mike Weir, so slight he can make himself nearly invisible simply by turning sideways, slid in behind some reporters, then sat down on Daly's knee.
Daly pretended not to notice, as if an ant was sitting on an elephant which, come to think of it, isn't that far off.
Like most of his fellow PGA players, Weir has a soft spot for Daly. Seems the golfers aren't very different from the multitude of fans who like to root for an underdog.
That said, Weir will be conceding nothing to the big man this weekend as he tries to win his second consecutive Nissan Open.
Weir made a big move in that direction yesterday, carving out a round of seven-under-par 64 to grab a share of the 36-hole lead at 12-under 130, tying the halfway scoring record for the tournament.
Daly, coming off last week's emotional victory in the Buick Open at Torrey Pines near San Diego, is lurking two shots behind after shooting a 64 of his own.
"John's a great guy," Weir said. "He has a big heart. Maybe he made some mistakes, some unfortunate choices in life but that doesn't make him a bad person."
Daly's galleries, always loud and boisterous, are even rowdier than usual this week, his fans having thrilled to his first win on U.S. soil in 10 years. But most don't even seem to need a triumph to root for Daly. They'll be with him no matter what.
"I think a lot of my issues are things that people are sensitive to," Daly said. "I don't know. Maybe it's just because I'm a good ol' boy.
"My goal is not to make the same stupid mistakes and not to trust some of the people I have trusted in the past. It's life. You live and learn. It's just taken me longer than most people."
Daly maintains he has lost more than 40 pounds since Christmas, having dropped to 238 from 282, though it's easy to be skeptical about those numbers.
As he talked about his weight problems, he was interrupted by a Lordly clap of thunder that came seemingly out of nowhere.
Daly looked to the heavens to plead his case.
"I'm telling the truth," he said, with a smile, as if pleading with a Higher Power. "I didn't lie."
Heading to the weekend, Daly finds himself in the thick of things again. It's a position he craves but is not accustomed to experiencing.
NERVOUS
"When you haven't been in that position in such a long time you get nervous. Sunday (at Torrey Pines), I was positive about my game but I was a bundle of nerves and I don't think I played all that well yet still managed to get the win.
"This week, granted it's only 36 holes so far, I'm hitting the ball even better than I did last week, maybe feeling a little bit more comfortable.
"I know I'm just happy where I am right now. In the end, it always comes down to the short game, no matter what."
Daly's appeal to the masses always has been his ability to hit a golf ball clean out of sight. Occasionally he would do it at the most unfortunate moments, with no regard for the principles of good course management. Long John still can hurt a golf ball as few on this planet can, but he's trying hard to make better decisions on the course as well as off it.
His round yesterday featured many exquisite iron shots hit tight to the pin.
"I don't ever remember hitting so many solid golf shots over the course of 18 holes," he said. "That's a good sign."
Both for himself and for the PGA Tour.
