Daly delights crowd at breakfast
The mood was far from somber Tuesday morning at Balboa Bay Resort, where a moment of silence took place to honor the late Arnold Palmer. Rather, John Daly had a lot to do with making the event festive, funny and definitely entertaining.
Palmer shared his thoughts on Palmer, and offered a few stories about the legendary golfer, in addition to hardly holding anything back during a candid interview at the annual Toshiba Classic Breakfast With A Champion presented by Allergan.
Daly told a story about a joke Palmer told while they played together at Bay Hill while a large crowd followed and could hear Palmer.
“‘John, have you heard about this blue pill?’ Daly said of what Palmer asked him. “‘Viagra. Have you heard of this? I took one the other day and they are great. I take them now everday so I don’t ever fall out of bed.’”
The sold-out crowd at the breakfast laughed, as Daly explained that the laughter also spread throughout Palmer’s golf course after that joke.
“The cool thing about Arnie was that he was loved by non-golfers,” Daly said. “He was just a good old boy. He wasn’t one of those silver spoons guys who grew up in the country club. I admired him for that, more of a blue-collar type.”
Daly could assuredly relate to that. He had a special relationship with Palmer.
When Daly played in the 1996 British Open that he won, he said Palmer gave him some motivation during the tournament.
“I saw him and he said, ‘You know what son, you’re playing good. Why don’t you win this on my way out?’ Because that was the last year he played in it,” Daly said. “He was just an unbelievable man. There were stories about that guy. We always knew when he holds court you can listen to him all day. It’s a sad day for the world of golf but personally for me he was a good friend. When I was in my downs and outs he would be the first one to call. He was just a really great man and great friend.”
Daly, 50, is making his debut at the Toshiba Classic at Newport Beach Country Club this week. It wouldn’t surprise that many if he is in contention to win considering his distance and he’ll be playing on a short course.
He’s expected to have many fans this weekend in the three-day tournament, as he seeks his first Champions Tour win. Tickets for Tuesday’s event sold out quicker than any other breakfast, said Hank Adler, the Toshiba Classic chairman emeritus and the moderator.
Adler wore some loud pink and black plaid pants to get in the Daly mood. Daly? He wore beer shorts that had several printings of, “Never work,” on them. He also had on a white polo shirt and white sandals. He smoked a cigarette during a post-event interview outside with a TV crew.
During the breakfast he had everyone laughing.
“I started drinking beer when I was 8,” Daly said, reflecting on his past. “I had my first cigarette when I was about 10. The virginity just took too long.”
Daly’s next statement pretty much described what his autobiography, “My life in and out of the rough,” is all about.
“I have learned everything the hard way because I’m stubborn,” said Daly, who also won the 1991 PGA Championship.
Daly also offered his reasoning for why Tiger Woods has suffered so many injuries. It’s because he worked out too much, Daly said.
“You look at some of these kids they work out. I never will,” Daly said. “I put out. I don’t work out.”
After the event, he told me that he likes Newport Beach and that he’ll fit in just fine in this town.
“I’m kind of laid back. This seems like a laid-back area,” Daly said. “I’ll support the bars around here because I like to drink.”
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Steve Virgen is the Sports Editor of the Daily Pilot.
Twitter: @SteveVirgen
