Couples gives advice to Daly

FRED COUPLES, a friend of John Daly’s, yesterday said he hopes Daly listens to the criticism coming his way stemming from recent incidents, including disqualification from last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational after missing his pro-am tee time.

“One of two things is going to happen,” Couples said. “He’s either going to look at what everyone is saying about him and say, ‘Maybe they’re all right,’ or he’s going to keep doing what he’s been doing.

“I’m not bashing John Daly. I think he’s got more talent than 85% of the players on tour; he just needs to find someone to get it out of him. I look at him as a golfer and he should be doing better than he’s doing.”

Couples said when he looks at Daly hitting his booming shots on the practice range “he looks like Jack Nicklaus.”

But when Daly gets onto the golf course, “he doesn’t look like he did a few years ago; his body doesn’t look the same.

“When he gets onto the course, something’s missing when he’s playing.”

Couples, who works with swing coach Butch Harmon, said he knew Harmon was losing patience with Daly because of his lack of commitment. Harmon, who dumped Daly last week amid some piercing comments, said he was going to give Daly one last chance.

Harmon decided he’d had enough after Daly had Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden caddie for him in the first round of last week’s PODS Championship and then partied at a Hooters tent on the grounds on Saturday.