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Love him or hate him, John Daly of the US still has the charisma and ability to draw huge galleries at any international event.

Love him or hate him, John Daly of the US still has the charisma and ability to draw huge galleries at any international event.

No wonder Khaya Ngqula, promoter of the SA Open which finished at Serengeti Golf & Wildlife Estate yesterday, is doing his utmost to get the controversial two-time Major champion to South Africa next year.

His mission is to get him here in time for the Africa Open, which takes place at East London Golf Club from January 5-8, and hopefully for the Joburg Open, which will be staged from January 12-15 at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club – if their officials buy into deal.

“Negotiations are still under way to get Daly to South Africa for at least two tournaments in January,” Ngqula said. “And we are talking to the officials promoting the Joburg Open in order to get them to buy into the deal.

“Daly’s accepted our invitation to play in the SA Open but was unable to get here in time from Australia and we then extended an invitation for him to be here for the Africa Open – he has accepted but we just need to tie up a few loose ends before making the formal announcement.”

Ngqula confirmed that he had invited the burly controversial American for the upcoming co-sanctioned European and Sunshine Tour’s event in East London but added that there were a few issues still to be sorted out.

“We’d like to have him in East London, but at this stage we are also trying to get him to play in the Joburg Open which follows the Africa Open.

“We are talking to the promoters of the Joburg Open and once we get confirmation from them we will make the formal announcement.”

Daly, known for his tantrums but who can, at times, be on his best behaviour, won the US PGA Championship in 1991 and then beat Costantino Rocca in a play-off in 1995 to become the British Open champion.

The 45-year-old, known for his long driving off the tee and called “Wild Thing”, does not have playing privileges on the PGA Tour nor was he ever picked for the US Ryder Cup teams even though he had won two Majors.

His last win on the PGA Tour came in 2004 when he won in San Diego which gave him a two-year playing exemption. There days he mainly relies on sponsors’ invitations to participate in big events.

He has had his share of brushes with officialdom and spectators – the one that stands out was with a fan in the gallery in Australia taking pictures of him as he was about to tee off.

In May 1993, he was upset by his opening round at the Kemper Open, threw his scoring card in the scoring tent, walked off and was disqualified. In late 1993, Daly was given an indefinite suspension for 1994 after quitting in the middle of the Kapalua International, and was told to seek treatment for his alcoholism.

He was at first suspended for the first 12 tournaments of the 1994 season but returned a few weeks earlier than expected and played in the Honda Classic, finishing fourth. These incidents resulted in a stretch between 1996 and 2001 without a win.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Retief Goosen and Louis Oosthuizen, who is the defending champion, have confirmed their participation at the Africa Open. - Daily News