John Daly Falls Down Steep Slope as Caddie Jumps to the Rescue John Daly, a two-time major champion, expressed gratitude toward his caddie, John Cooley, for leaping down a steep slope to rescue him after a mishap during the final round of the Cologuard Classic on the Champions Tour in Arizona. The incident, captured in a viral video, showed Daly losing his footing after an errant swing sent him into a cactus-filled area. Daly, who has undergone 16 operations in the past four years due to hand tendon issues, praised Cooley’s bravery, calling him a “true buddy” who “slid in to save” him. The incident occurred at La Paloma Country Club in Tucson, where Daly had played his first 10 holes in four under par. As part of the first group to tee off, he aimed for his first top-10 finish on the over-50s tour in nearly three years. However, an erratic swing on the 508-yard par-five hole resulted in a hook that landed him among the cactus. After taking a penalty drop, Daly managed to chop his ball onto the fairway but lost his balance, ending up on his stomach. He struggled to grab onto anything to prevent slipping further into the greenery, prompting Golf Digest to humorously remark, “We’ve lost John Daly.” At this point, Cooley, who works as a singer-songwriter in Nashville by day, sprang into action. Despite the danger, he descended the slope to assist Daly, who was briefly out of sight. After several minutes, the pair emerged from the cactus-covered area, disheveled but unharmed. The incident led to a double-bogey on the hole, followed by a bogey on the next, but Daly recovered his composure to secure two birdies in the final holes. His 68 final round left him at six under par, tying him for 29th place, nine strokes behind champion Steve Alker.#john_daly #cologuard_classic #la_paloma_country_club #john_cooley #steve_alker
John Daly disappears into desert penalty area after bellyflop, compares it to an episode of 'Jackass' The golf world nearly lost John Daly on Sunday during the Cologuard Classic at Tucson’s La Paloma Country Club. The PGA Tour Champions star found himself in a precarious situation after losing his footing on a slope and executing a dramatic bellyflop that sent him sliding into a desert penalty area. The incident briefly sparked concern, as Daly vanished from view before being located safely. Daly shared a video of the mishap on social media, captioning it with a humorous nod to the reality TV series Jackass. In the clip, the two-time major champion loses his balance after a solid shot, tumbles headfirst down a hill, and disappears from sight. He later credited musician Joel Cooley for “sliding into save,” a playful reference to the act of rescuing him from the penalty area. Despite the mishap, Daly managed to recover and carded a 68 to finish tied for 29th in the event. The tournament was won by Steven Alker in a playoff over Padraig Harrington. While the incident added an unexpected twist to the competition, Daly remained in good spirits, joking about the situation and advising others to exercise caution in native areas. The episode highlighted the unpredictable nature of golf, where even seasoned professionals can find themselves in comically chaotic situations. Daly’s ability to laugh off the mishap underscored his enduring charisma, even as he navigated the challenges of the course.#john_daly #cologuard_classic #la_paloma_country_club #steven_alker #padraig_harrington
