John Daly is back in the news, and not because of his performance.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
Playing in last week’s UBS Hong Kong Open, Daly reportedly flung his putter into the trees during the second round after being annoyed by fans using cellphones and cameras. He missed the cut after rounds of 72-75.
On Sunday, the European Tour confirmed that it would fine Daly, 46, an undisclosed amount. Tournament director Mickael Ericsson told reporters, “Yes, the circumstances regarding crowd manners and behavior will be considered, but when it all boils down there is still no excuse for throwing his putter.”
Ironically, it was almost a year to the day of one of Daly’s most infamous meltdowns, at last year’s Australian Open. There, the two-time major champion deposited six balls in the water on one hole before storming off the course. That tantrum prompted the tournament director to huff, “I would say this is the last time we will see John Daly.”
In 2010, a PGA Tour personnel file revealed that Daly had been cited 11 times for “conduct unbecoming of a professional” and another 21 times for “failure to give best effort.” Over the years, his fines have totaled more than $100,000.