John Daly withdraws from The Open Championship, hours after being spotted smoking on the greens at Royal Troon
Ahead of the second round, John Daly has withdrawn from the Open Championship, hours after he was seen smoking at Royal Troon. Besides him, Ernie Els, another former champion, has also pulled out after the first round.
Daly, who was making his 26th start at the Open Championship, shot an 11-over 82 in the first round. He made no birdies on the opening day and bogeyed seven holes. On the final hole of the day, he made a quadruple bogey.
On Friday, July 19, Martin Dempster from the Scotsman posted on X that Daly had pulled out of the Open Championship, citing a knee injury. This is his second withdrawal from a Major this year after he dropped out of the PGA Championship two months ago.
As per Chris Burns of the Mirror, John Daly was seen smoking a cigarette while taking a walk on the greens. This is not the first time he has been seen doing this, as he has been spotted having a drag several times in the past.
Notably, John Daly has won the Open Championship in the past. He won the championship in 1995, after beating Costantino Rocca on a playoff hole. This was his only top-10 finish at the Open and his second and final win at a Major championship. For the uninitiated, he has made just 10 cuts in 25 starts at The Open before this week.
Ernie Els, the two-time Open champion, also pulled out of this week's championship after complaining of a back injury. He entered this week after winning the Kaulig Companies Championship last Sunday. This was his third win of the season on the Senior Tour and his first in the Senior Majors.
Prior to this week, the South African legend made 23 cuts in 32 starts at the Open. He made 13 top-10s, which included wins in 2002 and 2012. Overall, he has won four Major championships.
Earlier, Romain Langasque also dropped out of the Open Championship due to back pain. With three players pulling out, the current field of the tournament stands at 155.
What's next for John Daly?
John Daly will next compete at the Senior Open, which will take place from Thursday, July 25 to Sunday, July 28 in Carnoustie, Scotland. Daly has 11 top-25 finishes this season on the Senior Tour.
Ernie Els will enter the Senior Open as one of the favorites. He is leading the Charles Schwab standings with seven top-10 finishes, including three wins in 13 starts this season.