Daly opens with bogey-free 64 at Euro Tour event

After battling injury for much of the summer, John Daly appears to have found the fountain of youth in the Czech Republic.

The 52-year-old former major champ missed The Open because of a hip ailment, and he withdrew from the U.S. Senior Open when the USGA refused to allow him to ride in a cart. Daly also made an early exit last week from the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open, withdrawing after rounds of 73-77 while again citing a hip injury.

But playing this week on a sponsor invite at the European Tour’s D&D Real Czech Masters, Daly fired a bogey-free, 8-under 64 at the Albatross Golf Resort in Prague to grab a share of the early lead alongside Callum Tarren and Ryder Cup hopeful Thomas Pieters.

Daly got off to a quick start, making birdies on each of his first three holes en route to a 5-under 31 on the front nine. He added two more birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 before closing with one last circle on No. 18 to finish out his best round in an official worldwide event since 2012.

Vintage John Daly…#CzechMasters pic.twitter.com/jPAUSjzGAg

— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) August 23, 2018

Daly last made the cut in a PGA Tour or European Tour event in March, when he tied for 65th at the Corales Punta Cana Resort & Club Championship played opposite the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. He last earned Official World Golf Rankings points for a T-10 finish at the European Tour’s Made in Denmark nearly one year ago.