Daly explains Aussie Open walk-off
Source: Agencies |
December 1, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
JOHN Daly's relationship with Australian golf officials reached breaking point earlier this month when he walked off the course at the national open, but the twice major winner says there were mitigating circumstances surrounding his behavior Down Under.
The 45-year-old, who is competing at this week's Hong Kong Open, hit six balls into the water from the 11th tee in the opening round of the Australian Open before shaking hands with his playing partners, walking to the Lakes Golf Club car park and driving off in a courtesy car.
Daly, who had been penalized two shots for hitting the wrong ball out of a bunker at the previous hole, said he had run out of balls, but that excuse cut little ice with the PGA of Australia, who withdrew his invitation to the November 24-27 Australian PGA Championship.
"I accept if you look at my past competing in Australia that the way I was treated was not harsh, but if they were to have looked at really what went on at the 10th hole then it was harsh," Daly said. "I had found the bunker with my tee shot and then when I got up there I hit a great bunker shot, and when I threw my caddy the ball to wipe it, I find it's not my ball. Then on the 11th it was my ego that got in the way and I thought we had plenty of golf balls. But the question I keep asking is what were range balls doing in the bunkers out on the championship golf course?
"When I got to the bunker I thought it was my ball. I'm using Srixon balls and the balls on the range were also Srixon. Everybody complimented me saying 'great shot' but when I get up there my caddy wiped the ball and threw it back to me but it wasn't my ball. So I go from making three there on that hole to a seven."
Daly said the media had exaggerated the incident and denied that he had "stormed" off. Television footage showed Daly shook hands with playing partners Craig Parry and Hunter Mahan and walked back to the clubhouse.
"I shook hands with Craig and Hunter and said that I've run out of balls, and I said that also to an official and he said to me that is was unfortunate," Daly added. "But what hurts me is that it was then reported I stormed off. Well, I never stormed off. I just walked back to the clubhouse."
Daly was fined an undisclosed sum and while his Australian PGA invite was revoked the American is still free to compete in Australia.
"I didn't get banned from Australia but I really don't know what is going to happen in the future," he said. "There has been some talk after Craig Parry settled the matter down a bit, saying I didn't do anything stupid and if it was him, he would have done the same thing.
"I've looked at my past in Australia and I got upset with an official one year. Last year at the Australian PGA I was eight over par and I backhanded a putt, like we all do, and it popped out of the hole and I looked like a jerk then.
"Then there was that guy with the camera in Sydney, but then Robert Allenby didn't do me any favors. He defended me saying I did the right thing but then when he speaks to the press he says exactly the opposite."
The 45-year-old, who is competing at this week's Hong Kong Open, hit six balls into the water from the 11th tee in the opening round of the Australian Open before shaking hands with his playing partners, walking to the Lakes Golf Club car park and driving off in a courtesy car.
Daly, who had been penalized two shots for hitting the wrong ball out of a bunker at the previous hole, said he had run out of balls, but that excuse cut little ice with the PGA of Australia, who withdrew his invitation to the November 24-27 Australian PGA Championship.
"I accept if you look at my past competing in Australia that the way I was treated was not harsh, but if they were to have looked at really what went on at the 10th hole then it was harsh," Daly said. "I had found the bunker with my tee shot and then when I got up there I hit a great bunker shot, and when I threw my caddy the ball to wipe it, I find it's not my ball. Then on the 11th it was my ego that got in the way and I thought we had plenty of golf balls. But the question I keep asking is what were range balls doing in the bunkers out on the championship golf course?
"When I got to the bunker I thought it was my ball. I'm using Srixon balls and the balls on the range were also Srixon. Everybody complimented me saying 'great shot' but when I get up there my caddy wiped the ball and threw it back to me but it wasn't my ball. So I go from making three there on that hole to a seven."
Daly said the media had exaggerated the incident and denied that he had "stormed" off. Television footage showed Daly shook hands with playing partners Craig Parry and Hunter Mahan and walked back to the clubhouse.
"I shook hands with Craig and Hunter and said that I've run out of balls, and I said that also to an official and he said to me that is was unfortunate," Daly added. "But what hurts me is that it was then reported I stormed off. Well, I never stormed off. I just walked back to the clubhouse."
Daly was fined an undisclosed sum and while his Australian PGA invite was revoked the American is still free to compete in Australia.
"I didn't get banned from Australia but I really don't know what is going to happen in the future," he said. "There has been some talk after Craig Parry settled the matter down a bit, saying I didn't do anything stupid and if it was him, he would have done the same thing.
"I've looked at my past in Australia and I got upset with an official one year. Last year at the Australian PGA I was eight over par and I backhanded a putt, like we all do, and it popped out of the hole and I looked like a jerk then.
"Then there was that guy with the camera in Sydney, but then Robert Allenby didn't do me any favors. He defended me saying I did the right thing but then when he speaks to the press he says exactly the opposite."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
