Daly keen to play in 'fantastic' Irish Open
John Daly putts on the tenth green in Hong Kong yesterday (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Friday November 21 2008
John Daly has joined the European Race to Dubai Tour and wants to bring his double Major championship winning game to Ireland.
Daly is contesting this week's 50th UBS Hong Kong Open and has been afforded a similar invite into next week's Australian Masters ahead of playing upwards of 18 events next year.
One of those events the 42-year old Arkansas operator will be seeking to contest is next May's Irish Open.
It will be 10 years next season since Daly last came to Ireland for this event when he finished well down the field at Druids Glen.
After carding a two-under par 68 on the first day in Hong Kong to sit four shots behind joint leaders South African Richard Sterne and China's Liang Weng-chong, Daly singled out the premier Irish event as one he would welcome an invite to contest.
"I would dearly love to play a full season in Europe and play at least 15 to 18 tournaments," he said.
"And I don't expect to play at all in the US next year as it's been tough to get invites there.
"All I want to be able to do is play four to five weeks in a row and I can't keep a card in the States unless I do that.
"To be able to play an Irish Open or a French Open and a Scottish Open would be great as they're fantastic events.
"In fact, I haven't played an Irish Open for such a long time and it's been five years since I contested a Scottish Open. I'd love to be going back to Loch Lomond a week before Turnberry."
Daly played just 17 events on the US Tour this past season missing the cut in a dozen and earning just $56,000 (€45,000) compared to $2.4m (€1.92m) four years ago.
And while he has been denied entry to some events, he's also keen to avoid the intense media focus that surrounds his every off-course move in the States.
"What annoys me about the States is that I didn't even get invited into last month's Frys.com Open in Arizona that every Q-School guy got into," he said.
"That was a slap in the face and it's just weird and, yes, things haven't gone great for me, but they just don't realise I had two fractures in my ribs and a cyst the size of a golf ball.
"It's just been a struggle and then there's the media, because with the European Tour media perception is not reality, whereas in the States perception is a reality. Our media back home has got so bad that they just take it, and take it, and take it, and they really don't know the truth about a soul. It's bad for all of our guys.
"Nobody has talked about my injuries and my surgery.
Talent
"Tiger, God bless him, but all you hear about is his leg, his leg, his leg. But other guys have been hurt too and I know I still have the talent, but it's a tough sport when you're hurt."
Rory McIlroy heads the four Irish contesting the $2.5m event after carding a level-par 70, while Graeme McDowell, Paul McGinley and Tour rookie Gareth Maybin are next best with 71s.
Maybin capped his first round as a main Tour member when he just missed holing out at the par three, 12th hole where a 1kg gold ingot was on offer. England's Simon Griffiths, playing two groups behind the Ballyclare golfer, snatched the $25,000 (€19,500) prize.
Maybin, on his first visit to Hong Kong, produced a mixture of four birdies and five bogeys.
"It was a pretty good start to be two-under after five holes, but I just played too aggressively and paid a bit of a price," he said.
"But it's a great golf course and fun to play and my expectation in coming here to Hong Kong is to just get experience.2
Bray caddy Dermot Byrne was looking forward to carrying the bag for reigning US Amateur champion Danny Lee, but the 18-year old New Zealander withdrew with chicken pox.
- Bernie McGuire in Hong Kong
