DATE: Saturday, June 14, 1997               TAG: 9706140584

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C3   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Opinion 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: BETHESDA, MD.                     LENGTH:   82 lines

WOODS, NORMAN, DALY: RICH, TALENTED AND OBNOXIOUS

Greg Norman lustily chews out a public-address announcer last week at TPC Avenel because the man makes an admittedly bad joke about President Clinton's accident at Norman's house.

Later that day, Norman gives a fan nine-tenths of the universal obscene gesture after he mistakenly thinks he hears the guy imploring him to hit one in the water. The fan actually is attempting to encourage him to play better.

Tiger Woods, knowing the world is hanging on his every word, blows off the media after his opening-round 74 at the U.S. Open. Instead, he gives one reporter five ``I don't knows'' and a ``No'' in a 15-question session that doesn't last long enough to fix a hard-boiled egg.

Friday, John Daly, who didn't invent rudeness but has exhibited it in an amazing variety of circumstances during his tempestuous career, walks off the Congressional Country Club course midway through his round without telling a soul that he was quitting the Open.

I mean no one. Not his caddie, who was standing on the 10th tee waiting for him to return from what he assumed was a bathroom break. Not playing partners Payne Stewart and Ernie Els, who didn't know what to think and were hesitant to continue playing for fear Daly would be disqualified.

There's something fundamental missing from that huge information packet each PGA player receives when he registers for a tournament.

A book of etiquette.

Instead, today's tour player has a dog-eared book of excuses - or a spin-doctoring staff - waiting in the wings to explain away every indiscretion.

Shortly after Daly left the course, the company he represents, Callaway Golf, released a statement that not only included his explanation that he was ``physically and emotionally exhausted,'' but the announcement that ``Callaway Golf continues its strong support of John Daly.''

``Championship golf tournaments create the ultimate in emotional stress and physical hardship for even the healthiest golfer,'' Callaway founder Ely Callaway supposedly said. ``We feel that John showed his remarkable qualities in making the cut at the Memorial Tournament and the Kemper Open on successive weeks.''

In the media room, the laughter was so loud that Callaway sent in its new public-relations rep, who repeated that Daly was exhausted.

``Was he too exhausted to say goodbye to his playing partners?'' someone asked.

``I think if he had a do-over, he'd do things differently,'' was the lame reply. ``He realizes what he did was wrong.''

Nice try. Daly has pulled stunts like this so many times it's possible the PGA Tour will fine him, even though the Open is a USGA event over which the tour has no jurisdiction. Instead of making excuses for Daly, who is to be admired for his continued struggle against alcoholism, Callaway out to add Miss Manners to its staff.

Unfortunately, neither Norman nor Woods even attempted to excuse their behavior. The PA announcer apologized profusely to Norman, who accepted it but offered nothing in return.

The fan, attempting to explain that he said, ``Chum in the water,'' not ``Chunk it in the water,'' finally told his story to Norman's playing partner and asked that he pass it on because Norman refused to stop long enough to consider his side of the story. Who knew Sharks had such selective hearing?

Norman's only response is that he did not give the guy ``the bird,'' because he knew he'd get in trouble with the tour. Instead, he raised his right arm in front of his face, then balled his fist. But he never extended the middle finger and, thus, remains an innocent victim.

If it weren't so pathetic, the Woods story would be hilarious. At Augusta, he complained that the national press doesn't treat him with the same reverence it did Arnold Palmer when Arnie was young, brilliant but hardly perfect. Even now, Palmer is a stand-and-take-it guy who speaks candidly about his game's many shortcomings and embarrassments.

Woods, deified by the media just nine months into his career, shoots 74 here Thursday and suddenly becomes Marcel Marceau for a day.

``Why would you want to talk to a guy who is nine shots back,'' Woods argued Friday, more talkative after his 3-under 67 lifted him back in the chase. ``Do you require Greg Norman, Steve Elkington or Phil Mickelson, who ended up at 5 over, to come in? If I'm not near the lead, I shouldn't be required to answer any questions. I don't see the need. I just want to be one of the 156 players playing a tournament.''

So there's a great new slogan for Nike to play with. ``Tiger Woods: Not No. 1, just one of 156.''

Maybe that Callaway guy wasn't so lame after all. All three of these guys could use a do-over.

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