SYDNEY (AP) ― John Daly has had another golfing meltdown, walking off the course at the Australian Open on Thursday after hitting at least five or six balls ― officials aren’t sure of the number ― into the water on the 11th hole at The Lakes.
Daly was 7 over after 10 holes in the first round after becoming upset with a ruling on the 10th that penalized him two strokes. He casually putted out on the 10th and took a triple-bogey 7.
On the 11th, he hit ball after ball into the water, some landing in the center of the pond, before a tour official joined him. Moments later, Daly shook hands with playing partners Craig Parry and Hunter Mahan and walked off the course.
In a Twitter post later, Daly said: “when u run out of balls u run out of balls. yes, I shook my player’s partners hands & signed my card w/rules official.”
Trevor Herden, Golf Australia’s director of tournaments, called Daly’s actions “unprofessional” and said action needed to be taken against him.
Herden said Daly appeared to become upset after hitting the wrong ball out of a bunker on 10 ― apparently there were two there, one from the nearby practice range.
“I believe he has gone down 11, hitting five or six balls in the water ― I am not exactly sure,” Herden said. “Anyway, he walks right off the golf course, with his son behind him, got in the courtesy car and went straight back to his hotel.”
Herden said he was “bitterly disappointed” by Daly’s actions.
“It is very disappointing for the tournament ... that he has treated the championship this way,” Herden said. “It is a bit of a habit, but it is unacceptable and I certainly hope all the tours deal with it in an appropriate manner this time.”
Asked why the Australian Open would have paid him appearance money to be here, Herden replied: “I am not going to talk about appearance money, but he likes to come back this time of year to Australia.
“He is a major winner, we have to pay him some respect, too, even though his times have moved on slightly. But I would say this will be the last time we will see John Daly.”
The PGA Tour of Australasia later issued a statement saying no appearance fees had been paid to Daly. It also said Daly’s actions Thursday would be referred to a disciplinary committee.
Daly, now ranked 666th in the world, was next scheduled to play Australian PGA at the Hyatt Regency course at Coolum in two weeks.
“I think you might find that might change,” Herden said, and the statement later said that the tour had withdrawn its offer for Daly to play at Coolum.
“The PGA does not need this kind of behavior tarnishing the achievements of other players and the reputation of our tournaments,” the statement said. “John is not welcome at Coolum.”
In 2002, after taking a triple-bogey 7 on his last hole at the Coolum course, Daly threw his putter and ball into a greenside pond and later failed to sign for a 78 on his scorecard, disqualifying himself from the tournament.
He was later fined $5,600 by the Australasian PGA Tour and was ordered to write a letter of apology to a tour official he verbally abused.
Two years ago at the Australian Open, he smashed a spectator’s camera into a tree at Royal Sydney’s ninth hole. He was given a suspended fine by Golf Australia.
