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Golf: John Daly seeks help
3/15/2014 5:52:16 AM
- Two-time major champion John Daly cards the worst round of his top-level golf career
- The 47-year-old signs for 19-over-par 90 at a PGA Tour event in Florida
- Daly says he needs help to cure his putting "yips" after shooting 12 at one hole
- He also hit three balls into the pond at the 16th and then shanked an iron
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(CNN) -- It's not the first time John Daly has had to ask for help -- but it must be one of the most embarrassing.
Twice a champion of golf's biggest tournaments, the reformed alcoholic -- who has also battled gambling and weight problems -- is seeking advice after the worst round of his professional career.
The 47-year-old carded 19-over-par 90 in Friday's second round of the PGA Tour's Valspar Championship, including an octuple-bogey 12 at the 16th hole of the Copperhead course at Innisbrook resort in Florida.
Whereas the younger Daly, known as "Wild Thing" among other nicknames, might've stormed off without a word, or broke a club or two, this time the veteran American was happy to explain his woes.
"When you've got the yips, it's no fun," he said, referring to the 37 putts he needed over the 18 holes. He three-putted three times, and needed four at the fourth hole.
"When you play a putt to go left-to-right and push it three feet right, you look like an idiot.
"When I shorten my stroke, I get quick and miss it left. When I try to do my normal long stroke, I come up and push it. I've never had that problem before."
However, it was not just the short game that let "Long John" Daly down.
Known for his "grip it and rip it" approach, he hit three balls into the pond at the 16th, and then shanked a seven-iron "dead right."
"It was just one of those days when nothing went right," said Daly, who eclipsed his previous worst round of 89 at the 2008 British Open.
"You hit it in the bunker, it buries. Hit it in the fairway, you're in a divot. I even hit it in a divot in a bunker."
Daly also defended himself on Twitter, where he has 368,000 followers, after one tweet that showed a screenshot of his scorecard claimed he was "way too drunk."
"Haven't drank in six years, be nice," he responded.
Wow can't believe the negative comments it's just sad how so many can be so mean #thxtomytruefans
— John Daly (@PGA_JohnDaly) March 14, 2014 Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship in his debut season on the main U.S. circuit, and followed that up with his second major success at the 1995 British Open.
However, his off-course problems were reflected in his declining playing fortunes and these days he has to rely on sponsor exemptions to enter PGA Tour events.
He has not played at the Masters since 2006, but is often seen selling his merchandise outside the hallowed Augusta club.
Daly is still a draw at overseas tournaments, but had trouble at the 2011 Australian Open when he walked off the course after hitting seven balls into water hazards.
The PGA Tour's website reported that Daly had been considering trying to get entry into a secondary tour event in Louisiana in two weeks, but will instead seek help with his putting "yips."
"I've got to call somebody that's had them," he said.
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