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Former Razorback golfer Daly still making news this week at Masters

Arkansas' long connection with Augusta National continues this year as legend bragging on his son's win with Hogs
Andy Hodges|
John Daly watches his shot from the 13th tee during the pro-am of the Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., in March.
John Daly watches his shot from the 13th tee during the pro-am of the Galleri Classic at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif., in March. | Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Arkansas Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Former Arkansas native John Daly is still making headlines at the Masters. He's also continuing to make a lot of money.

Every year around one of golf's most prestigious events that's also steeped in traditions maybe only exceeded by the British Open, one of the Razorbacks' legends is staying involved, according to a story on ESPN.

Daly is just joining the annual pilgrammage to Augusta, Ga., for a tournament that is one of the biggest events in the country and certainly for Georgia.

For the last few years he's just had a unique way of of continuing to benefit. He's a mile away from the golf course at the Augusta Hooter's, but his tent draws fans like magnets, much like his big personality still draws folks in his native Arkansas whenever he's in town.

The great Dan Jenkins in Sports Illustrated wrote years ago about Daly at the Open Championship one year, "a Motel 6 called from the states — they want their shower curtain returned." Now he's just selling caps, autographed golf balls and raking in nearly $1 million last year.

Daly has always had fun. He's still doing that at Hooter's where he will keep appearaing as long as they will continue keeping him on the payroll. Some events, like this week at the Masters, he does even get an appearance fee, according to the ESPN story.

It was even a chance this week for him to brag on his son John Daly II, a current Razorback golfer that just won his first college tournament a few weeks ago. He's keeping him focused completely on his golf career right now.

Arkansas has long been connected with Augusta National, going back to Little Rock businessman Jack Stephens being chairman. Former athletics director and coach Frank Broyles was a member most of his life and made the pilgrammage every year.

In fact, when Dana Altman was hired, briefly, as the basketball coach in 2007, Broyles had to hustle away to the Masters. Altman stayed less than 24 hours and went back to Creighton.

Broyles let somebody else hire John Pelphrey because he was on the way out the door, anyway, and he probably figured let somebody else hire their own headache because he was at the Masters.

Daly is just continuing the connection at the Razorbacks. He's still having run and doing his thing after a couple of decades with repeated health issues.

None of that matters this week, though, he's part of the pilgrammage only he's not at the course. Just find a Hooters near a big golf event and Daly is very likely to be there.

The tournament, by the way, reached the halfway point Friday with Rory McIlroy charging back into contention with a 66, six shots under par.

McIlroy is five shots off Jalen Rose's lead and just two shots behind Bryson DeChambeau.

The tournament will be broadcast on CBS for the final two days. You can follow all the coverage of The Masters on Sports Illustrated.

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Andy Hodges
ANDY HODGES

Sports columnist, writer, former radio host and television host who has been expressing an opinion on sports in the media for over four decades. He has been at numerous media stops in Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

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