Jack Nicklaus remains a fan of embattled golfer John Daly, saying he hopes the game's longest hitter will return to the PGA Tour next season.
"I think John Daly is inside a very good kid," Nicklaus said Thursday when asked to respond to Daly's recent decision to leave the tour for the rest of the season. "I like John Daly very much. I think we (golfers) all feel he has tremendous talent and has a tremendous ability to help the game of golf."Daly, who often hits drives of 300 yards and is a fan favorite on tour, has battled alcohol problems and was suspended from the game after picking up his ball last season and not finishing a hole.
Last week, Daly volunteered to skip all PGA Tour events for the rest of 1994. He hasn't played since shooting 83 in the final round of the NEC World Series, then scuffling with the 62-year-old father of club pro Jeff Roth, who accused Daly of twice driving into Roth's group.
"I think we need to keep walking the extra mile for him," said Nicklaus, who was in town to open nine more holes at the Governor's Club course he helped design. "I think John has had his problems and has had a tough time growing up. I think he will grow up.
"A lot of guys (on tour) say, `How much patience should you have?"' added one of the game's greatest players. "Well, I think you ought to continue to have patience. He's been through a lot. I think he has so much to offer that we need to keep helping him if we can."
Daly's agent, John Moscatello, said Daly has a back injury and plans to return to the tour by January's Mercedes Championship, an event for PGA Tour winners only.