Q: What is John Daly’s outlook for 2008? We all hate to see him not playing, but if he loses his card, his playing time will be limited. Your thoughts?
— John Dixon, Concord, NC

A: There’s not a lot of sympathy for John Daly at this address, because he’s a huge waste of talent. It’s shameful to see how much he gets out of that great power and those soft hands and one of the best short games around. He should be Top 30 in money every year, no question. Truth is, Daly lost his card after the 2006 season (he was 192nd on the money list), yet you saw him plenty in 2007, thanks to an endless stream of sponsor’s exemptions. Of course, Daly being Daly, he repaid those generous sponsors by withdrawing from six tournaments, giving him 11 over a two-year period. Eleven! It’s unfathomable how you can take sponsor’s exemptions and not give it 100 percent, yet that’s Daly’s routine and while I totally can’t understand it, I’m aware that his act is a hit with the fans. He’ll be 42 in April and remains terribly out of shape and for a second straight year he will be at the mercy of sponsor’s exemptions. He doesn’t deserve them, but no doubt they will come. It would be nice if he’d take advantage, because he’s too good to play like this. He owes it to his fans; more than that, he owes it to himself.

Q: We debate the quality of US PGA Golf vs. the rest of the world. The US has a solid claim on the Presidents Cup, but equally cannot seem to dominate the Ryder Cup. Is Jack Nicklaus the difference? If so, why isn’t he captain of the Ryder Cup team more often?
— Dennis Augustine, Pittsburgh, PA

A: Dennis, you aren’t the only one asking these sorts of questions. Those of us covering this year’s Presidents Cup action in Montreal asked American players the same thing. The International team is a strong one, yet the U.S. fares well. The European team, on paper, isn’t as strong, yet the U.S. gets crushed. American players seem to chalk up the difference to Nicklaus and his approach. “He makes it just about the golf,” said David Toms. Which makes one wonder, what happens at the Ryder Cup? Ah, there’s the rub. The PGA of America’s cash cow of cash cows is the Ryder Cup and to get the blood boiling and the cash flowing, they make it bigger than golf. They turn it into the Super Bowl of golf, with a greater emphasis on the black-tie affairs, the galas, the opening ceremonies, the guest appearance by The Donald, and so much overkill that by the time the players have to tee it up, the golf has taken a huge back seat. Do the players have a passion for the Ryder Cup? Indeed they do. It’s just that PGA of America officials have a passion for all the glitz and glamour that accompanies the golf and that isn’t lost on the players. As for why Nicklaus doesn’t get named Ryder Cup captain, he’s been there and done that. He wouldn’t go along with the landscape as it now exists and the PGA of America doesn’t want a captain who rocks the boat.

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