John Daly hits back at critics of his buggy

John Daly has defended his right to use a cart at this week’s US PGA Championship and insisted that, far from being to his advantage, it’s actually a distraction for him.

Daly, 53, has been given special dispensation by the PGA of America to use a buggy in the second men’s major of the season as he says he is unable to walk more than six holes at a time due to arthritis in his right knee.

The move has divided opinion, with Masters champion Tiger Woods appearing to question the decision when he quipped that he had previously managed to compete without assistance despite having a broken leg (at the 2008 US Open).

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However, speaking to the Golf Channel on Wednesday, 1991 champion Daly – who hasn’t played without a buggy since the Omega European Masters on the European Tour last September – claimed that he has no alternative but to use a cart.

“I wouldn’t have been able to play without it,” he said. “To tell you the truth it’s not even easy playing with a cart because for me the cart is more of a distraction but I need it otherwise I can’t play.

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“It won’t get better until I get it replaced and they said I’m too young for replacement surgery. If it was broken it would have been much better ut I have Osteoarthritis. It just hurts, especially when I go downhill. I rode in a cart and it’s swelling up like a watermelon.”

Daly drives off – in more ways than one – at 5.54pm UK time on Thursday alongside fellow former champions Rich Beem and Y.E. Yang.

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