Bordow: Daly’s best days definitely behind him

John Daly can’t figure out why his scores are so high. “There’s not anything I need to work on,” he said after shooting a 1-over 71 Thursday in the first round of the Fry’s Electronics Open. “I’m stroking the ball good, I’m chipping it good and I’m hitting it good.”

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Daly is standing in the parking lot at Grayhawk Golf Club. A red Hummer is idling, waiting for him to climb in.

Not 10 minutes have passed since Daly finished his round. It’s just after 11 a.m.

Most PGA pros would grab some lunch and head to the driving range to work on their game.

Daly?

He didn’t even bother to take off his golf shoes before getting into the Hummer and taking off for parts unknown.

But, hey, who needs practice?

Daly never has been one to confine himself to norms, whether it be professionally or personally. It’s a tribute to his immense talent that despite the emotional turmoil of four marriages — wife No. 4 went to prison — and gambling and drinking addictions, he’s been able to win five PGA Tour titles, including the 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 British Open.

But at the age of 41, Daly’s work habits — and nocturnal habits — may finally have caught up to him.

He hasn’t won since 2004. He has just one top-25 finish this year, a tie for 16th at the Buick Open in July. He’s lost his PGA Tour card and will have to rely on sponsor’s exemptions in 2008.

“You just keep on plugging and keep on fighting,” said Daly, who broke the PGA Tour record this year with 22 exemptions.

Interesting words, considering Daly has withdrawn from five tournaments this season. It was gracious of the Phoenix Thunderbirds to invite Daly to this week’s event considering he withdrew from the FBR Open — which they also run — in 2005 and 2006. He missed the cut earlier this year.

“The last three years have been unbelievable,” Daly said. “I’ve either been hurt or sick. And that’s a great golf course for me.”

There aren’t many courses that suit Daly these days. Grayhawk is wide open compared to some tracks on the PGA Tour, and Daly managed just two birdies on the 7,125-yard layout.

“I’m just so close to playing so good,” he said. “It seems like every round could be two to three shots better. I can’t seem to get four good days in a row. Today should have easily been under par.”

Daly’s starting time (6:50 a.m.) probably didn’t help.

“I don’t think Arkansas roosters were even up,” Daly said.

The truth is, Daly’s game has been AWOL since the Buick Open. He’s missed four cuts and withdrawn twice in his last nine tournaments.

That’s how he’s compiled this amazing statistic: Daly is competing in his fifth straight tournament, yet he’s played only 11 rounds since Aug. 12.

“I’ve tried my damndest to get my card back,” Daly said. “That’s the most tournaments I’ve played in a row in 10 years.”

Daly is certain he’ll bounce back in 2008 — “It will be a better year. I know it will,” — but the words sound hollow.

He’s not getting any younger, and he’s certainly not getting any better.

For better or worse, Daly has been one of golf’s most interesting stories the last 16 years.

Today, he’s just a novelty act.