‘Ottawa’ Francis: John Daly Brings His Swagger, Views to Calgary’s Shaw Charity Classic
Smoke in one hand and Diet Coke in the other, John Daly stands patiently outside the club-fitting trailer at Canyon Meadows Tuesday morning, talking about the breathtaking views he was privy to over his 11-hour drive from Seattle.
While his “film director” and travel-mate Jesper Parnevik snapped photos and sent tweets out pretending they were lost, Daly was struck by vistas he suggested, “all look like paintings.”
“Damn, is it beautiful,” said the 50-year-old golf legend, in town for his first taste of the Shaw Charity Classic.
“That’s the type of sightseeing I love. I’ve always been a mountain guy. I’m not much of an ocean guy – I’m allergic to everything in the ocean. I’ve never driven that part of Canada. I’m glad I did it.”
So are tourney organizers as Daly is the biggest draw the three-day birdie bash has ever had.
With apologies to another Shaw Classic rookie who is also here this week — Tom Watson — no one on the PGA Champions Tour is as colourful.