Within hours of winning nearly $425,000 at the American Express World Championship last October John Daly lost double that gambling in Las Vegas. That is what Daly himself says in his autobiography, My Life in and out of the Rough, to be released next Monday.
And the former British Open champion reckons his total losses in the last 12 years could be as much as $33million. "If I don't get control of my gambling, it's going to flat-out ruin me," says Daly.
He lost in a play-off to Tiger Woods at the Amex Championship in San Francisco and says he drove to Las Vegas and lost almost $900,000, mostly on slot machines and half of that in just 30 minutes.
The US Tour's website commissioner Tim Finchem met Daly on Monday and said afterwards: "It is clear that he continues to be concerned about and grapple with significant personal challenges.
"I have expressed to John the Tour's concern for his wellbeing, as well as his ongoing need to uphold the image and standards of the PGA Tour. While we will continue to enforce the regulations and policies of the PGA Tour, I have advised John of the Tour's willingness to support him in his efforts to deal with his personal issues."
Daly has managed to keep his career afloat with sponsorship deals, appearance money and "running myself ragged doing corporate outings instead of spending time with my family and working on my game".
He said he owed over $2 million to casinos before capturing the 1995 Open at St Andrews, but the situation then became worse.
Married three times, he has battled alcohol addiction as well, but says now: "Only gambling remains a problem."
MICHELLE WIE BIDS FOR US OPEN: Michelle Wie's name is among a total of 8,584 entries for the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York.
The 16-year-old will enter a local qualifier for the second major of the golf season in Hawaii on 15 May. If successful there she advances to a sectional qualifier in New Jersey, where she will try to become the first woman to make the USGA's premier event.
WOODS COMMITS TO DUBAI: World number one Tiger Woods has agreed to defend his Dubai Desert Classic title in 2007. According to the terms of a new contract with tournament promoters Golf in Dubai, Woods will compete in the event at least three times in the next four years.
"Having the world's greatest golfer play in your event is something many tournaments dream of, and for us to be able to welcome him again to the Majlis course is a major boost for golf in the Middle East, especially Dubai," said Golf in Dubai chairman Mohamed Alabbar yesterday.
Woods said he was looking forward to returning to the United Arab Emirates: "I always enjoy visiting Dubai, it's an extremely hospitable place where the people and the tournament organisers treat the players so well," he said.
SCOTTISH OPEN: US Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman cannot wait to return to the banks of Loch Lomond in July to launch his challenge for a second Scottish Open crown.
Lehman, who won the title nine years ago, will join a strong field including US Masters runner-up and Loch Lomond title-holder Tim Clark, twice former winner Ernie Els, Jose Maria Olazabal and local favourite Colin Montgomerie.
"What a great tournament," the 47-year-old American was quoted as saying on the European Tour's official website yesterday. "It is one I come back to year after year and I just love it. I am proud to be a past champion."
Lehman, in good form this year with three top-10 finishes in nine starts in the US, will pit his wits against European skipper Ian Woosnam when the American team attempt to win back the Ryder Cup at the K Club in September.
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