John Daly trades banter with Governor

Gov. Jesse Ventura, chomping on a cigar butt, wandered onto the driving range at the PGA Championship practice round Tuesday, where it became clear he is a John Daly, not a Sergio Garcia, kind of guy.

Garcia, the budding 22-year-old Spanish superstar, shrugged when asked about his impressions of Ventura. "I'm sorry, but I haven't heard of that man," he said.

Perhaps it's time for a trade mission to Madrid?

Daly, on the other hand, used Ventura as a straight man as he turned a PGA afternoon clinic into a comedy routine.

"Set up the tee, Big Boy," Daly told Ventura as thousands of golf fans listened over loudspeakers. "Do I need to call you 'governor' or can I call you anything I want?"

Ventura feigned a scowl and said: "John, you're big, but not that big."

Former PGA champion Lanny Wadkins warned Daly, the '91 surprise winner, he might get body-slammed.

"I've been hit by bigger boys," Daly said.

Daly, known as much for his off-field problems as his prodigious drives, complimented Ventura's few drives off the practice tee.

"When you're a lame duck, you get to play a lot more," said the governor, who is not seeking reelection.

Daly quickly chimed: "I don't usually make cuts in majors, so we can play Saturday somewhere." He added that if Ventura's 14-handicap soars to 20, they could team up to win the pro-am event at Pebble Beach. "Then we can go to Vegas and see what we can hustle up," Daly said.

Ventura informed the blond golfer that he was heading to San Diego this weekend for a Navy SEAL reunion.

"When you're governor, you get free trips everywhere," Daly said.

Ventura said the trip wasn't free and invited Daly to come along and parachute. Daly, who is listed at 220 pounds, declined, saying the parachutes wouldn't hold him.

Ventura suggested a "cargo chute" might work.

Then Daly brought up one of the governor's favorite topics -- disdain for the news media.

"I get fined when I hit a reporter," Daly said. "You can say: 'Hey, I'm the governor. I'm going to hit you and kick you out of the state.' "

To which Ventura said: "Then they attack my kids."

The crowd let out a facetious "ooooooh," and the governor headed to a reception sponsored by the Minnesota section of the PGA.

Before their friendly exchange, Ventura patted Daly on the backside and whispered something in his ear.

"He told me that when someone asked him who would make a good governor, he said me," Daly said later, grinning. "I've always liked him."

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