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 Another vow of abstinence Resisting temptation to hit driver, Daly rewarded with 69
Posted: Thursday June 18, 1998 09:58 PM
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- John Daly has taken another vow of abstinence. And, for one round at least, it seems to be paying off in the U.S. Open. Playing without a driver in his bag, golf's longest hitter stayed out of the deep rough at The Olympic Club on Thursday to shoot a 1-under 69 that moved him into contention after the first round of the Open. "I've basically given up the driver," Daly said. "I'd rather shoot low scores than worry about getting it in the fairway all the time." Daly, in his best opening round in nine Opens, used course management he would never before have thought possible in coming back from 2 over on the front nine with three birdies on the back. Patience, something Daly has never been known for, was the key. The golfer who in the past had stormed off golf courses in midround when things weren't going well, kept grinding away this time and was rewarded with a score that kept him within striking distance. "I don't get mad like I used to," Daly said. "That's a miracle in itself." On narrow fairways lined with thick, wet rough, Daly hit 3-woods and 2-irons off the tee, keeping the ball in play and giving himself a chance to hit greens. After shooting 37 on the front nine, he hit an 8-iron within 8 feet on 10 for a birdie, and the same club to 30 feet to get back to even par with a birdie on 12. A third 8-iron, this one to 15 feet on 15, got him under par and Daly got up-and-down out of the sand on 18 to stay that way. "I stayed very patient and made some things happen on the back nine," Daly said. Last year at Congressional, Daly opened with a 77 and walked off the course the next day after playing 27 holes in 10 over. But he was fighting the shakes from alcohol withdrawal at that time, after going through rehabilitation and quitting drinking again. He's been sober ever since, with cigarettes, chocolate and sodas his biggest remaining addictions. "Last year you had the nerves of a major championship plus you add the shakes and it was very difficult," Daly said. Daly was in one of the early pairings of the day, with Fred Couples and Frank Nobilo. Couples shot 72, while Nobilo had to birdie the last hole to come in at 76. Daly pointed to Nobilo as an example of a golfer who stayed in his game mentally even when he wasn't playing well. "He's still in the tournament because of that," Daly said. "I learn a lot from guys like that. I wish I had learned it earlier in my career. He could have shot 82, 83 but he just kept grinding away." Daly benefited from a couple of breaks, getting some good lies when he did go into the rough and having a ball bounce off a tree on No. 11 back into the fairway. Still, the Daly of past years probably would not have had much chance on a course where precision and course management account for more than distance and driving ability. "Three or four years ago if this tournament was held here I would have hit drivers on every hole. I probably wouldn't have broken 80," Daly said. "There's a big change there." Not that he doesn't get the urge to put the driver back in the bag once in awhile. Daly quit using it a few tournaments ago, even though it meant giving up a shot at a huge bonus offered by Callaway Golf for a golfer who uses its equipment to lead in driving distance. "On a few holes I was thinking like I did when I was dry for four and a half years and was trying to think why I should be drinking," he said. "Now I'm trying to think how I should be using my driver out there."
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