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Happier John Daly back at Valspar Championship

 
John Senden of Australia holds up the championship trophy last year.
John Senden of Australia holds up the championship trophy last year.
Published March 9, 2015

PALM HARBOR — When we last saw John Daly at the 2014 Valspar Championship, he was headed to his car as fast as he could. Daly just completed a career high 90 in Friday's second round, which included a 12 on the par-4 16th hole, and he wanted to get away from Innisbrook ASAP.

"That was a tough day," said Daly, a part-time Clearwater resident. "That was one of those days everyone of us have every now and then. You try to hit a draw and it goes 80 yards right. You try to hit a cut and it goes 80 yards left. One of those freak days. I've had about eight or nine of those in my career. Not fun."

Much has changed since that forgettable Friday.

Daly got engaged to long-time girlfriend Anna Cladakis in December. He also made Cladakis his caddie. She'll be on the bag this week at Innisbrook.

"She loves it," Daly said. "It's her workout. She carries the small bag, I put the big bag away. But she's good around the greens and loves to rake the bunkers. I don't like being in the bunkers, but …"

And Daly said for the first time in almost eight years he feels fully healthy. He won a small tournament in Turkey in December, the Beko Classic. His winning check was $8,000.

While Daly, 48, has missed three of five cuts this season, he was tied for 10th last week at the Puerto Rico Open. He was already in the Valspar Championship on a sponsor's exemption, and his top 10 finish earned a spot in the field without an exemption.

"This is the first time since 2007 that I felt healthy enough to really go at the golf ball," Daly said Monday during the celebrity pro-am. "There were some signs of it at Pebble (Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he opened with 65 but missed the cut). Instead of an easy eight (iron) I could hit the full nine without feeling anything in my knee or shoulder or right elbow. You build confidence that way, but I've been hurt so much that I can't get any confidence.

"I just like the way I feel right now. I can just go at the golf ball and it's been a long time since I've felt that way."

Daly will play in a pro-am today at the Island Course with his 11-year-old son, John.

Final hooray (maybe): Kenny Perry played in his first PGA Tour event in 1984. He has been a full time member of the Tour since 1987, although he has cut back since joining the Champions Tour in 2011. He has won 14 times on the PGA Tour.

Perry last played at Innisbrook in 2012, and this is likely his last visit as a PGA Tour player. Perry, 54, said he'll probably limit his PGA Tour appearances next year and focus on the Champions Tour.

"I'm kind of feeling out the PGA Tour again," Perry said. "If I'm in over my head then you might not see me come back. It's probably a 90 percent chance that this is it. But, if I win one, catch lightning in a bottle, then you'll see me play one more year."

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Despite his age, Perry said he has no problem with distance off the tee. It's the short game that has given him fits.

"I need to chip and putt better," Perry said. "I still hit it far enough and my iron game's still fine. I've lost it chipping. I've got the you-know-who syndrome (Tiger Woods). I've done that for five years. Had it way before he even had it.

"I think you get to a certain age and I don't know if it's wiring in your brain or what, but something changes physically with the body. I don't have that silky smooth chipping stroke like I used to have. Something has gone wrong and now it's in my head. Chipping is more mental than anything."

Sponsor's exemptions: Daly and Sam Saunders were originally sponsor's exemptions in the Valspar Championship, but because both players finished in the top 10 at the Puerto Rico Open they qualified on their own. Those sponsor's exemptions were given to Trevor Immelman and J.J. Henry. The final unrestricted exemption went to Max Homa, who was bumped out of the field by the players who finished in the top 10 at Puerto Rico.