Recent winner Daly commits to Honda Classic
IN: News | US PGA | The Honda Classic (2004) | General | 23 Feb 2004
John Daly, a fan favorite who won a PGA TOUR event for the first time in nine years Feb. 15 in San Diego, has committed to play in the 2004 Honda Classic, which will be held March 11-14 at the Country Club at Mirasol.
Daly has been a mainstay at The Honda Classic, playing the tournament for the past six years. But he never has come to South Florida riding the kind of high he has experienced since defeating Chris Riley and Luke Donald in a playoff to win again on the TOUR.
"It feels great," said Daly, who also won a tournament late last year in Korea. "There's been a lot of ups and downs in those nine years. I just kept fighting and plugging away. It was just the sweetest victory. It is because it's been a long, long time.
"I've won two majors. Nothing can take that away. But I got to a point there after nine years of not winning anything, wondering if I could win again. Every week I step on the first tee hoping to win, thinking I can win. But to finally do it again, it's very, very special. Your nerves don't react quite as well as when you're younger. But Peter Jacobsen told me, no matter what happens, the talent never goes away. That stuck with me for a long time."
Daly has been a fan favorite since he burst onto the golf scene in 1991 at the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick by overpowering the golf course in a manner that hadn't been seen in recent memory. Daly still hits it long and the fans still follow him in droves.
"It's so great," Daly said. "The drunk ones, the sober ones, I love them all. I just love them. And they have kept me going and going. When things are bad, they still pull for me. It's a friendship that I'm very proud to have with the fans."
Daly will also be bringing his new merchandise trailer to the Honda Classic. John Daly LLC debuted the trailer last year, out of which hats, golf shirts, John Daly music cds, divot tools, towels, jackets, umbrellas and an assortment of other merchandise is sold. Daly often visits the trailer to autograph items as time allows during tournament week. The trailer will be located in the tournament's public parking area.
