Seven Days in Augusta by Mark Cannizzaro

Author:Mark Cannizzaro
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Triumph Books
Published: 2020-01-22T20:57:28+00:00

15. Daly

It is late afternoon on the eve of the Masters, a little after 6:00 pm on Wednesday. The annual Par-3 Contest is long finished. The players’ practice rounds have been completed.

And yet, there is a line of fans snaking through a parking lot waiting to purchase merchandise. The people are not lined up to buy Masters souvenirs, though. They are not even on Augusta National property.

They are in a Hooters parking lot, located about three or four John Daly tee shots down Washington Road from Magnolia Lane, patiently waiting to meet Daly, shake his hand, express their love for him, and score items from the John Daly brand.

There are boxes of “Grip it and Rip it” T-shirts, logoed ball markers, head covers, license plates, hats, CDs, pin flags, towels, beverage coozies, belts, and Loudmouth apparel, including shorts and skorts. There, too, are cans of Daly’s branded “Grip it and Sip it” beverages made with iced tea and vodka or sweet tea, lemonade, and vodka.

Most importantly, the people are there to meet Daly, have him sign autographs, express their adulation for him, and take selfies with them.

Daly has been posted up with his RV and a bunch of tables with his merchandise outside the gates of Augusta National during Masters week since 1997, hawking souvenirs.

With a cigarette hanging limply from his lips, he engages with all who stop by. And, if you buy it, he’ll sign it. He’ll actually sign anything you ask him to—whether you’ve made a purchase or not.

“I’ve probably signed about 20 sets of boobs this week and about 30 asses,” Daly said as he signed for fans in line rapid-fire before the 2018 Masters. “And they are fine asses, too. I’ll sign any ass, it doesn’t matter. Like Jesus, I love ’em all.”

It is an unmistakable sideshow bordering on a carnival act—as it always has been since Daly first started doing this.

“I just figured it’s a good way to sell the brand,” Daly said while signing the package of someone’s pimento cheese sandwich from the Masters. “When I started back in ’97 with the logo, I just figured it was a great way to sell it. We’ve got a great relationship with Hooters. I help them and they help me this week. It’s a good week. The money doesn’t really matter to me. It’s just so much fun to be out here, seeing people, getting the brand out.”

It used to be a sad look when he first started doing this: Daly, with his incredible golf skills being wasted, peddling cheesy T-shirts and hats from a parking lot outside of Augusta National instead of bombing long drives down the fairways of Augusta National and competing for a green jacket.

Daly played in 12 Masters in his career and had one top-10 finish—a tie for third in 1993, his second try. He missed the cut in four of his final five Masters, including the last three, his final invite coming in 2006.

He’s in his fifties now and is a

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