Golf Central

It could only be John Daly, and in his usual bumbling way, he really didn't do that much wrong. But what an amazing week of havoc Daly caused, just by being John Daly. Over the years, he's lost millions in gambling, had three divorces and more scrapes that most people have in a lifetime - as well as those two major titles. But SG Matthews recaps how the last seven days have been stunning even for your garden-variety off-the-rails 41-year-old, 300-pound folk-hero golf star ...

• Thursday, 6 March: During a nearly three-hour rain delay in the first round of the PODS Championship, playing on yet another sponsor's exemption, Daly retires to the "Owl's Nest" Hooters hospitality tent (well stocked with free beer and nearly-naked waitresses and pounds a few cold ones.
• Somehow hooks up with Jon Gruden, the wildly popular head coach of the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and they decide that Gruden shall caddie for Daly the rest of the round.
• Gives regular caddie Peter van der Reit the rest of the day off.
• Signs for a 78 as Gruden staggers and sweats his way around the Copperhead course in the steamy conditions.

• Friday, 7 March: With van der Reit back on the bag, Daly shoots an 80. Misses the cut by 13 strokes, giving him three missed cuts and one withdrawal in seven 2008 starts, all on sponsors' exemptions.

• Saturday, 8 March: Out of the tournament, Daly turns up at the Hooters tent again, swills drinks like a oversized flounder, signs loads of autographs, and "flips off" a Tampa Tribune photographer. One of Daly's mates drops trou and "moons" the snapper.
• Signs Kim Geiger's posterior. "I like your butt. I'm a butt man" says big JD, according to the Tampa Trib.

• Sunday, 9 March: Is a day of rest, apparently.

• Monday, 10 March: Butch Harmon, whom Daly had hired to resurrect his career last year, "fires" his own client through the press, saying he's fed up with all the "shenanigans". The pair had "three sessions" together. Harmon, a Vietnam veteran who has coached Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott and Greg Norman, says: "Jon Gruden caddying, I thought that was ridiculous. I thought he made a circus out of the whole event."
• Harmon also says: "I love this kid. He's a tremendous talent. But if he's not going to give 100 percent effort it's a waste of my time."
• Daly plays in a Monday pro-am at Bay Hill.
• Daly texts Harmon to say "All I wish you'd done is call me."

• Tuesday, 11 March: Daly rings the tournament office to find out his tee time for Wednesday's pro-am. He is told 9.47 am (which actually is his tee time for Thursday's first round).
• Daly plays golf at an Orlando, Florida course with Robert Gamez, who helps him with his putting.

• Wednesday morning, 12 March: Daly misses his starting time for the pro-am, which is actually set for 8.40 am. On his way to the course he's told there is no point in showing up, as he will be "ineligible" (essentially, disqualified).
• Daly's DQ sets a bizarre chain of events into motion. Tournament organisers have to re-shuffle the pro-am tee times using alternate players. Japan's Ryuji Imada and Australia's Nick O'Hern, who are next up on the alternate sheet, but neither can be contacted or are on the golf course because of a mix-up over morning and afternoon alternate tee-times.
• O'Hern, who lives five minutes away from the course, is declared ineligible as well. So is Imada, the young Japanese star who has three Top-5 finishes this year, and needs a good showing at Bay Hill to get into the Masters.
• In a stroke of luck, England's Ian Poulter, who was an alternate for the afternoon session, mistakenly thought he was supposed to be at the course in the morning, and was at Bay Hill to take Daly's spot in the field. Michael Letzig, Peter Lonard and Tag Ridings also squeeze into the field.

• Wednesday afternoon: Several popular news sources make calls for the PGA Tour to intervene in Daly's situation.
• PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, a hard man, tells the press nothing they didn't know already, except revealing he has a soft spot for Daly: "He is perhaps the ultimate come-from-behind, blue-collar upstart kind of situation with all of these challenges. ... We've worked with John in the past, and we'll continue to be available to work with him in the future regarding his issues."
• Daly speaks to the Associated Press: "I love Arnold Palmer to death. I called and talked to him and apologized ... And the thing that upsets me is I cost Nick O'Hern and Ryuji Imada, so now I got these guys mad at me, too."
• He also says: "I love Butch to death. I still think he's the greatest coach out there. I just told him don't always believe what you read in the paper."
• Daly is very apologetic: "Hasn't been a good day. This is the last thing I needed in my life. I feel like I let Arnold down."

• Thursday morning, 13 March: On its official site front, highlighting a story previewing the Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Invitational, the PGA Tour writes the kicker: "Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer have many things in common. The biggest of all? The ability to draw masses to the game." ... There is little mention of John Daly.