Listen, I get it. Many people think golf is boring. And unless it’s a major tournament, I rarely watch a tournament on television. But the majors carry drama. So much is at stake because of their tradition and because of the field full of great players who play in these things.
Covering the PGA Tournament is a treat. I won’t pretend it’s hard work. Today, I followed Derby’s Woody Austin for four holes. Later, I went and took a walk around the course, watching different groups for about 45 minutes. But my column for Friday’s paper fell in my lap when John Daly shot a 3-under 67. Daly is one of the most captivating professional athletes out there. I could have written all day, based on his humor during the news conference after his round. How can you help but like Daly, warts and all?
Covering a golf tournament requires a lot of sitting around and waiting. A lot of watching the leader board. A lot of watching the television coverage. It’s a slow process. Scott Paske, The Eagle’s lead golf writer, and I arrived at the course around 9 this morning. We’ll leave around 7 or 8. It’s a long day, but not a difficult one. I’ve read the paper, eaten lunch, sent out some e-mails. And, of course, kept track of what’s going on so I have an idea of what to write about. Tomorrow I’ll write about Austin, who is just an emotional cauldron. He wears it on his sleeve. And, best of all, he plays in the morning Friday.