Daly disqualified for missing pro-am

John Daly was disqualified from competing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after failing to appear for the pro-am competition.

A tournament organiser said Daly did not appear for his scheduled tee time at the Bay Hill course and therefore, under PGA rules, he was automatically out of the main competition, which begins on Thursday.

Twice major winner Daly does not have a tour card but was given a sponsor's exemption to appear at the Palmer event.

The disqualification follows reports of unruly behaviour in his most recent tour appearance.

Daly missed the cut at last week's Tampa Bay Championship and the local Tampa Bay Tribune newspaper reported that he had spent Saturday drinking with fans in a course-side bar and made an obscene gesture at a photographer. The incident led to swing coach Butch Harmon ending their short-lived working relationship.

Daly has spent most of his adult life struggling with alcohol, anti-depressants, gambling, binge eating and divorces, which he documented in his autobiography entitled 'My Life - in and out of the Rough'.

Prior to Daly's no-show in Orlando, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem had been asked comment on Daly's behaviour at the weekend but told reporters he would not discuss the specifics.

"We've worked with John in the past and we'll continue to be available to work with him in the future regarding his issues, but we have to maintain certain standards of conduct and we will in every case.

"I am not fully briefed on the details, and we have not engaged John on that at this point in time, and we don't discuss it when we do. We hope that he can deal with his issues in a way that allows him to continue to play golf."