No ride, Daly pulls out of Open Championship

[July 10, 2019]  John Daly of the U.S. swings. Scanpix Denmark/Henning Bagger via REUTERS
John Daly withdrew from The Open Championship after his request for a medical exemption to use a golf cart was denied.

Daly's decision was announced Tuesday by the R&A, which confirmed Kevin Streelman as Daly's replacement at Royal Portrush.

Daly won The Open in 1995 at St. Andrews.

"Quite disappointed they do not see it the same way our PGA of America and PGA Tour sees it," Daly said Saturday on Instagram. "Different continents different laws???

"... While I trust the R&A's decision was made with good intentions, I could not disagree more with their conclusions."

Daly, 53, initially said he would attempt to play in The Open from July 18-21 without the cart.

The R&A understands Daly's challenges -- the golfer says he has bi-compartmental degenerative arthritis in his right knee -- but stood firm in sticking to its policies.

"We have carefully considered the request from John Daly to use a buggy at The Open," the R&A said in a statement. "We appreciate the difficulty John is facing and have full sympathy for him as this is clearly a serious, long-term condition. Having considered all of the relevant factors, the Championship Committee has decided to decline his request.

"We believe that walking the course is an integral part of the Championship and is central to the tradition of links golf which is synonymous with The Open. We must also ensure that, as far as possible, the challenge is the same for all players in the field."

John Daly of the U.S. swings. Scanpix Denmark/Henning Bagger via REUTERS

Daly's request to use a cart for this year's PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in May was approved. He failed to make the cut.

Instead of playing at Royal Portrush next week, Daly will be competing in the Barbasol Championship at Keene Trace Gold Club in Nicholasville, Ky. He is expected to be using a golf cart.

Streelman said he received his invitation via email.

"My mind's everywhere right now," Streelman told WREX in Rockford, Ill. "My passport is in Scottsdale (Ariz.) at my house. I don't have enough clothes, enough warm clothes, so I have to go shopping for them. My caddy is not going to go. I need to find a new caddy. Besides that it's pretty exciting. I have a few things to iron out."

It will be Streelman's first appearance at The Open since 2015 and fifth overall.

--Field Level Media

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