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Ever since John Daly hit the major circuits he has been in the news for various reasons. Sometimes for the wrong reasons, based on his personal life.

Big John is in the unfortunate position that he is a high profile sporting giant. This means that his private life is privy to all and sundry. With all respect to the media, printed and otherwise, the bad, or should I say sad, side of his life gets a lot of attention. It is utter sensationalism, but that is what sells in the media business.

It seems like John is in the press more for negative reasons, than his skill on the golf courses of the world, which he has more than his fair share of.

He entertains crowds by hitting a golf ball crazy distances, even with his putter. Unlike Tiger, the ultimate technician and strategist, John throws caution to the wind by ripping his driver enormous distances, where angels fear to tread. Then he proceeds by displaying unbelievable touch on and around the greens.

John is often seen during coverage to bend over, pick up his cigarette and to walk off into the sunset after his golf ball. Not the image to expose youngsters to. But then, John has never claimed to be the ultimate role model.

The big man is known as the regular party animal, not adverse to consuming large quantities of brewed beverages in relatively short spaces of time. Smoking, drinking and a good measure of domestic uprisings is just a natural part of him.

When you are exposed to the masses the way sporting celebrities are, this type of behavior just does not make for our perception of sporting greats.

Then Big Bad John hits the fairways of the world, and guess what? We are still in awe of the man who, I believe, can win anything whenever he wants to.

I watched him during the recent USPGA Championship. No, I watched the crowds. They still love him. They still watch in amazement as he goes about his business the only way he knows. Nobody cares about the press and whatever goes wrong in his life. They just want to see John Daly do what John Daly does best and only John Daly can do!

Good or bad for golf? That is debatable. The fact remains he still pulls the crowds and wows them with his brand of golf. Long live John Daly - we need our own characters in golf and you are one of them!

Love him or hate him, international golf will be a little duller without him.

Corrie Nel is a golf fanatic and former club captain. Submit your sport articles free:

http://www.sportatlas.com Please use ID 1536

posted by 55208  # 7:33 PM