Canadian Skins Game Not Inviting Defending Champ John Daly

Daly Not Invited To Participate In Canadian Skins Game Despite Being Defending Champ

PGA Tour golfer John Daly has "not been invited to be part of the five-man field" at this summer's Telus World Skins Game in Vernon, British Columbia, despite being the two-time defending champion of the event, according to Brad Ziemer of the VANCOUVER SUN. Daly earlier this week parted ways with swing coach Butch Harmon, with Harmon citing Daly's "drinking as the reason," and he was disqualified Wednesday from this weekend's Arnold Palmer Invitational for failing to appear at the Pro-Am. IMG Canada Managing Dir Brad Pelletier, whose company runs the event, said that Daly's "most recent troubles were not the reason" he was not invited back. Pelletier: "We had spent considerable time looking at things and decided we wanted to change up the talent mix on it. Recent events this week had no bearing on it." However, IMG in January indicated that Daly "would be back" at the event (VANCOUVER SUN, 3/14).

THE DALY SHOW: The Orange County Register's Mark Whicker said of Daly, "He's thrown away millions of dollars. He's ruined lives, yet the people go see him, he gets book contracts and he's a folk hero" ("Jim Rome Is Burning," ESPN, 3/12). The Denver Post's Woody Paige said tournament sponsors share some of the blame. Paige: "They keep bringing him in, giving him exemptions." ESPN's Kevin Blackistone added, "This is the way he's been surviving the last dozen or so tournaments, for the most part. He doesn't get in by qualifying. He gets in because tournament sponsors want him there because he attracts the crowds. ... People have been profiting off this guy's demise for a number of years now" ("Around The Horn," ESPN, 3/12). However, ESPN's Tony Kornheiser: "I thought Butch Harmon pretty cavalierly threw John Daly under the bus. They had maybe three sessions together" ("PTI," ESPN, 3/12).