The MacMillan Dictionary defines an underachiever as one who is not as successful as one should be, based on one’s natural ability. Which brings us to this month’s debate, namely who is the biggest underachiever in golf? And, of course, begs another question; who the hell are we, a pair of hackers who find adjoining fairways more often than our own, to question the work ethic and dedication of somebody who earns their living playing golf and who has more talent in their pinky finger than we have in our entire being?
Well, that’s never stopped sports writers from pointing out deficiencies in others and truth be told this is one area that Tom ‘The Ripper’ excels. Gorman is loving this topic. Nothing gets ‘The Ripper’ more pumped up than being able to perform a character assassination. But being that this is our debate subject I think I have come upon the one PGA Tour mainstay who rises to the top of pack when it comes to underachieving – John Daly. It seems silly to be bestowing this title on a man who has won five PGA Tour events, including a couple of major championships (the 1991 PGA, where he first burst onto the scene, and the ’95 British Open), but from my humble perspective Daly should have several more major trophies in his case at home and a truckful more PGA Tour titles.
This is one of the greatest pure talents we have ever seen, power and accuracy off the tee that was astounding and a touch around the greens that was surgical. Seldom has anyone been so blessed with both power and finesse as John Daly. But Daly is an enigma. He has been known to just walk off the course in the middle of a tournament when things are going bad. His bouts with alcohol addiction and his multiple marriages are well documented. And yet he remains one of the most popular golfers of all time, drawing some of the biggest galleries of anyone who has ever played.
When he first came onto the stage, at Crooked Stick, he was just a red necked kid from “Anywhere, USA”, gripping it and ripping it, chain smoking his way to the PGA title. He was one of us then, Walter Mitty whacking a Titleist. After he had won he broke down and cried and yelled, “I love you Jack!” paying tribute to the Golden Bear. How could anyone not love this guy? But it seemed that any time he won an event a different wife was seen bounding onto the green to embrace him. Stories of his abuse were rampant. He was wasting all that talent.
With all of his warts I can understand why Daly remains so popular. As long as you don’t have to live with him he’s a great guy to be around. I found out first hand several years back, when I found myself on a bar stool next to Daly in the 19th hole at Bulls Bay Golf Club, just north of Charleston, SC. Sitting two stools over was Darius Rucker of “Hootie and the Blowfish” fame, who had just played 18 holes with Daly. Our group was right behind them and we got to see John Daly destroy a good golf course on a horribly windy day.
“What’d you shoot today, J.D.?” I asked. “Dunno, didn’t keep score,” he answered. Rucker, who plays very well, piped up, “he was 8- under.” “Whatever,” muttered Daly, totally unimpressed. I, of course, shot about a million that day. Daly wasn’t a multiple major winner sitting on that stool in the grille room. He was just another guy enjoying a beer. We talked about a lot of things. It was no interview, just two golfers discussing the game, the course, the conditions and other things, like hang gliding. I came away that day like most people who meet John Daly, liking him, rooting for him both on and off the golf course. And I saw, up close, what he can do with a stick in his hands and a little white ball sitting on a peg. Not many things in this life leave me with a sense of awe. Which is why only five PGA Tour wins and two majors leaves me feeling short changed.
Tim Geary is a R.I. based freelance writer. He still roots for John Daly every time the big guy tees it up.
