Daly's book not typical golf fodder

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Typical of how he plays, John Daly holds nothing back in his new book.

There are stories of how he lost 60 pounds in college by drinking a fifth of whiskey and smoking three packs of cigarettes a day.

Clearly, this isn't the stock variety of PGA Tour player autobiographies. "John Daly: My Life In and Out of the Rough" will be in bookstores Monday, and no one will mistake it for Ben Hogan's book on the fundamentals of golf.

"It's the truth. I'm not going to sidestep anything," Daly said. "It brings back memories of stupid stuff I've done in my life, and good stuff. It was honest."

Some highlights:

* He got disqualified from a junior event in Atlanta when officials found a bottle of whiskey in his bag.

* He said he has lost between $50 million and $60 million during 12 years of heavy gambling, and owed $4 million to casinos until he won the 1995 British Open, which enabled him to pay off the debt. Daly says Callaway Golf took care of a $1.7 million gambling debt when he signed an endorsement deal in 1997, after his second stint in rehab.

Commissioner Tim Finchem said Monday that nothing in the book violates PGA Tour regulations.