DON’T look now and certainly don’t get out your cameras. He’s back!
Yes, it has just been confirmed mercurial John Daly will be playing championship golf in Australia again this summer.
So far it I just the 2009 Australian PGA Championship at the Hyatt Regency Coolum in Queensland from December 10 to 13, but the other major Australian tournaments are odds on to follow*.
(*Golf Australia subsequently announced nn August 18 that Daly would play in the 2009 Australian Open.)
Whatever people think of his camera throwing antics at the Australian Open last year, Daly helped get golf on the front and back pages and attracted big crowds.
He’ll do that again, and he’s a lot less expensive than Tiger Woods.
So now we have the Australian Masters in Melbourne pushing Tiger Woods, Sydney pushing Greg Norman and Queensland perhaps appropriately pushing the colourful Daly.
Daly is one of the great characters of golf. Of late he has been carving himself a new image, having lost 20 kilos and added blonded hair and a whole lot of outlandish clothing.
Announcing the commitment today, the PGA of Australia said last year Daly helped to generate record crowds for what is Australia’s oldest professional event.
“John has a long history with the Australian PGA Championship and is exceptionally popular with the Sunshine Coast fans,” said Max Garske, CEO of the PGA of Australia.
“It is wonderful that John continues to support our event, and we are extremely excited to welcome him back yet again this year.”
This year will mark the third occasion in which Daly has played the Sunshine Coast tournament, although 2009 will bring with it a new challenge following the redesign of the Hyatt Regency Coolum course and the addition of six new and exciting holes.
“I am very much looking forward to play again in the PGA Championship and to see the course changes in Coolum,” said Daly yesterday.
The Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola will be played at the Hyatt Regency Coolum on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast from December 10-13, and will be the final leg of the 2009 OneAsia Super Series.
Update Wednesday, September 9: Daly Withdraws from Aussie Tour
Big John Daly has been forced to cancel his Australian appearances later this year after a recurring rib injury has seen him sidelined for the remainder of 2009.
Daly, who recently announced his intention to play both the Australian Open and the Australian PGA Championship in December revealed today (9/9/09) his disappointment at having to cancel his trip to Australia after the injury which he initially suffered at the 2007 Honda Classic flared up and required a surgical procedure last week.
