John Daly to play senior tour in May [Golfweek]

[nevets88]

Anyone knows how he qualified? I'm assuming he's not playing well enough to maintain conditional status on the big tour and was relying on sponsor exemptions and guessing he's getting a sponsor's or Senior Tour exemption? Or did he qualify? Either way, pretty sure he's going to be good for generating more income for the Senior Tour.

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While it wasn't exactly up in the air as to when John Daly would commence his time on the PGA Tour Champions, now it's official. Long John will make his debut on the 50-and-over circuit at the Insperity Invitational from May 6-8.

http://golfweek.com/news/2016/mar/01/john-daly-pga-tour-champions-debut-may-major-champ/

[caniac6]

He has won two majors. Mabye that gets him on the Champions Tour.

[Dave2512]

Despite rough edges always been a fan attraction. He's better for the Champions Tour than it is for him.

[grubby98]

He will bring attention to Champs Tour for a short time and increase viewership if he can snatch a win.  I haven't watched a Champs Tour event other than a major ever, but if he is in contention I think it would be fun to watch.

[Golfingdad]

51 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Anyone knows how he qualified?

No idea, but I imagine that anybody they feel might be a draw would get in one way or another.  I remember that they even hyped up Rocco Mediates debut tournaments on the Champions Tour, and he never did anything outside of Fathers Day 2008. 

[nevets88]

Wikipedia to the rescue. 

Maybe the exemption below is what exempted Daly? But as @Golfingdad said, I have to think his popularity is a big factor.

• Top four players in their first two years of age eligibility with multiple PGA Tour wins.

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Exemptions and qualifying

Current Champions Tour competitor and TV golf analyst Bobby Clampett has called the process for determining the field in Champions Tour events "the most complicated system known to man," and added that "[n]ot a single player even understands it fully."[5]

Clampett attempted to explain the process in a 2011 post on his blog. Standard Champions Tour events—apart from invitationals and majors, which have their own entry criteria—have a field of 78 (currently 81). The first 60 places in the field are filled as follows:^[5]

• The top 30 players, not otherwise exempt, who finished in the top 50 of the previous year's Champions Tour money list.
• Up to 30 players who are in the top 70 of the all-time combined PGA Tour and Champions Tour money list.

This leaves 18 places:^[5]

• Members of the World Golf Hall of Fame eligible by age.
• Winners of Champions Tour events in the previous 12 months.
• At the start of the season, 5 players from the previous year's Champions Tour Qualifying Tournament, in order of finish. During July, this category changes to include all non-exempt players based on the season's money list.
• Previously exempt players coming off medical exemptions.
• Top four players in their first two years of age eligibility with multiple PGA Tour wins.
• One spot for the highest finisher, not already exempt, within the top 10 of the previous week's tournament. Note, however, that a top-10 finish in a regular tournament does not qualify a player for a major.^[6] In another quirk, a top-10 finish in a major does not qualify a player for the next tournament on the schedule, even if it is a regular tournament.^[6]
• Up to 5 spots for sponsor's exemptions, but subject to reduction or elimination if the previous categories fill out the field.
• Up to 4 spots for Monday qualifiers, also subject to reduction or elimination

 

[Wally Fairway]

Depends what you mean by successful?

I think he will play a lot, he has used up all his Tour eligibility except and occasional sponsor exemption; but I do not think that he will win. He just doesn't have it in him to be consistent for 3 consecutive days. Though he should do much better then he's done in his limited play, as he doesn't need to string 4 rounds together.

[MacDutch]

Dont think he's got a serious chance to win. But he is a colourfull figure and maybe the old guys like to see his caddy?

[pganapathy]

That qualification criteria looks more confusing than anything else, but anyway, considering he won two majors I would assume he would be automatically eligible to join the Senior Tour once his age hits 50.

I can see him playing well enough to occasionally challenge in the weeks when he somehow manages to put together three consistent rounds, but he will be a bigger draw for his colourful personality and long hitting, even though with his talent he should really have been an all time great of the game.  I remember a quote about what Tiger told him when he asked why Tiger worked out in the gym so much.  I am paraphrasing but it went along the lines of "If I had your level of talent, I wouldn't need to work out so much to improve my game" and he may also have said something to him about not wasting his talent

[nevets88]

13 hours ago, Wally Fairway said:

Depends what you mean by successful?

I think he will play a lot, he has used up all his Tour eligibility except and occasional sponsor exemption; but I do not think that he will win. He just doesn't have it in him to be consistent for 3 consecutive days. Though he should do much better then he's done in his limited play, as he doesn't need to string 4 rounds together.

Yeah, that's vague. I would say playing well enough so as to be comfortably exempt to play next year.

[newtogolf]

If he's mentally focused on golf, avoiding the booze / drugs and not being a buffoon he'll do well, he's still a great golfer when he wants to be.  

[Elmer]

I may actually watch a Senior Tour event.
Right now I find the Senior Tour as exciting as watching flies be intimate. 

[Natural Patrick]

Yet the worst player on the senior tour, having his worst day. Still beats Elmer on his best day, by 10 strokes.

[tristanhilton85]

38 minutes ago, Natural Patrick said:

Yet the worst player on the senior tour, having his worst day. Still beats Elmer on his best day, by 10 strokes.

C'mon dude... that has nothing to do with anything. Keep it on topic and don't be a jerk.

[Natural Patrick]

3 minutes ago, tristanhilton85 said:

C'mon dude... that has nothing to do with anything. Keep it on topic and don't be a jerk.

Oh their is no doubt that I will watch more of the senior tour this year because of Daly.

[Gunther]

I've always liked Daly, I think and hope he will do well.  Will his participation get me to tune in?  Hell no.  I couldn't care less because the Senior Tour is a meaningless exhibition.  But, good luck to him.

[ScouseJohnny]

Given that he has two more majors to his name than Hall of Famer Colin Montgomerie, I'd like to see John Daly in the Hall of Fame and a similar, guaranteed place in Champions' Tour events.

Edited March 3, 2016 by ScouseJohnny

[mtsalmela80]

I love John, but the most likely scenario is he will come out of the gates with a 65, then follow it up with an 87.