Slimline Daly shares lead

John Daly can't remember the last time he had a drink. He can't remember when his body felt this good. His face really went blank today when asked the last time he shot a 64.

"I'm a little shocked myself,'' Daly said after a controlled round of 6-under-par 64 that gave him a share of the first-round lead with Larry Mize and Brad Faxon in the Sony Open.

Looking as fit as he has in years, and pounding the ball has hard as ever, Daly made seven birdies and only one mistake at windy Waialae Country Club for his lowest score in four years.

"My game feels good when I get on the course,'' Daly said. "I think all the hard word is starting to pay off.''

Mize, among the afternoon starters, was not surprised to see that Daly had set the target today, especially since they played the final round together last week in the Tucson Open.

"I felt like he was close to playing good,'' Mize said.

The former Masters champion wasn't half-bad himself. After a three-putt for bogey on the first hole, he chipped in for birdie, holed two 30-foot putts and also a 50-footer for birdie on the 16th.

"I wasn't expecting a 64 when I teed it up,'' Mize said. "I scored better than I played.''

Faxon joined the leaders with two par-saving putts from 6 feet late in his round, and a 20-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th. Richie Coughlan of Ireland had a 65.

Gary Nicklaus blocked out the bad memories of the ninth hole, where he had a 12 in the final round last year. He was eight strokes better Thursday -- a birdie -- and had a 66, putting him in a large group that included Tom Lehman, Carlos Franco, Italian rookie Emanuele Canonica, and Jim Furyk, who won the Mercedes Championships last week in Maui.

Ernie Els, Masters champion Vijay Singh, and Tucson Open winner Garrett Willis were among those at 68.

Defending champion Paul Azinger had a 72.

The Sony Open turned out to be a rebirth for Azinger last year, his first victory since he was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1993. Daly can't even imagine what it would mean to him if he could put together three more rounds like the one he had today.

"It would probably be the biggest win in my life,'' said the former PGA and British Open champion, whose gone through three stints in alcohol rehabilitation.

Daly hasn't won since St. Andrews in 1995, and his career has been on rocky slide down ever since -- rehab after trashing a hotel room in 1997 at The Players Championship; new life after Callaway Golf endorsed him later that year, only to resume drinking and toss away $3 million in incentives two years later.

Daly said he was on medication for those of that time to control his weight. "I was the rat for some doctor,'' he said.

At some point late last year, Daly said he finally listened to his body. No more medication. No more booze. No more chocolate, except when he flies.

"I still get nervous flying,'' he said.

His weight is about 210 pounds, down from 260 at this time a year ago. He has just signed a new endorsement deal with Hippo, although he won't starting using its clubs for a couple of more weeks.

The only thing unchanged is his quick pace down the fairways, puffing on a cigarette that he flicks to the ground only long enough for him to hit a shot.

But he was a model of control. Daly hit driver only five times, opting for 1- or 2-irons to keep in position. Still the longest hitter in the game, he needed only a 2-iron and a 4-iron to reach the 551-yard 18th hole, which set up a two-putt from 30 feet for birdie.

His only mistake was trying to take away too much of the dogleg on No. 8, his 1-iron clipping a tree and spitting the ball backward. He punched into the fairway and missed about an 18-foot par putt from just off the fringe.

The last time Daly had the lead after first round was the 1997 PGA Championship at Winged Foot. He finished in a tie for 29th. The last time he had a 64 was the third round of the Bob Hope Classic in 1997, and he went on to finish seventh.

He has had only two top-10 finishess since, none since early 1998.

Through all his turmoil, there is part of Daly that believes he still has more thrills to give a gallery that can never get enough.

"That's what keeps me motivated,'' he said. "I'm still a long way from where Tiger Woods, David Duval and Ernie Els are. But a long way in this game can be short. All it takes is 72 holes to get the confidence back that I had in the '90s.''

He only got 18 holes in today, but it was a good start.

DIVOTS: Els, who missed five birdie putts inside 18 feet on the back nine Sunday of the Mercedes Championships, decided to change putters this week. He switched to a Never Compromise, a putter he used on occasion last year. ... Willis, the rookie who won in his PGA Tour debut last week at the Tucson Open, said he was giving $20,000 from his $540,000 winner's check to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. ... Nicklaus has grown a goatee, which he says his father doesn't like. "Every time he see me, he just laughs," the younger Nicklaus said.

Email this page to a friend | Return to top of page