Daly Shoots 69 After His Wife Goes to Jail

LA JOLLA —  One day after his wife reported to county jail in Kentucky, John Daly shot a three-under-par 69 at the Buick Invitational, including a 40-foot birdie putt at the 18th hole of the South course at Torrey Pines.

Asked how he managed to put his thoughts of his wife behind him, Daly had a quick answer.

“You don’t,” he said. “I’m just out here.”

Sherrie Miller Daly, 30, turned herself in Wednesday at Lexington, Ky., to begin serving a five-month sentence on a federal charge involving a drug ring and an illegal gambling operation. Prosecutors said Daly knew nothing about his wife’s actions in the case.

She is Daly’s fourth wife and he married her in 2001, seven weeks after they met.

Daly’s wife pleaded guilty to charges in November 2004. She is scheduled to be released June 23 and must serve five months of house arrest after that.

Daly, who didn’t learn of his wife’s going to jail until Wednesday, blamed the prosecuting attorney for the timing.

“It was very tacky,” said Daly, who won the Buick Invitational in 2004. “Usually you get two or three weeks to get prepared. He must not have kids. He’s not a very nice guy anyway.

“It’s a pretty sad thing. If I had known two or three weeks ago, I wouldn’t be here. There’s nothing I could do.”

-- Thomas Bonk