Snapped: Golf star John Daly loses temper and smashes fan’s camera after he took picture of him
The American with a reputation for boozing, losing his cool at times and being able to hit the golf ball a very long way, was unhappy when a fan’s camera flash went off in his face during the Australian Open in Sydney.
In a fit of fury Daly snatched the camera from fan Brad Clegg and hurled it to the ground.
It didn’t end there.
The golfer picked up the camera and, asking Mr Clegg if he wanted it back, then hurled it against a tree, sending parts flying.
Amazingly the memory card survived, leaving Mr Clegg with his close-up shot of Daly.
It revealed that the golfer was already in a bad mood, the misery of hitting his ball off into the rough written all over his face.
Fans and officials were shocked at the outburst but no disciplinary action was taken against the American after he told Mr Clegg that he would buy him another £60 camera.
Asked if he was scared of being punched, Mr Clegg said: ‘Not with everyone around. I did realise I shouldn’t have taken the picture like that because there are rules against it on the course. I wouldn’t mind a new camera though.’
The memory card in Mr Clegg’s camera was not damaged and produced this photo of Daly taken moments before his outburst
Daly said he had lashed out because he was fed up with Mr Clegg taking pictures of him at several places around the course.
‘The camera was six Inches from my face,’ he said. ‘If I was 10 under par I would have felt the same. My eyes are still burning from the flash.’
Daly finished the round six over par and will be struggling to make the cut today.
