CARLSBAD, Calif., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Donald H. Dye,
President and CEO, John Daly has joined Callaway Golf as a staff professional,
effective immediately.  Daly, whose booming drives and aggressive style of
play have made him one of professional golf's most popular players, will make
his PGA Tour debut with Callaway's Big Bertha(R) woods and irons at the
Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on May 29.
    Daly, 31, recently completed a treatment program in Palm Springs, Calif.
He has waged a public and painful battle with alcoholism, and will be
participating in a structured after care program.  Daly agreed to this
stipulation in his contract, and to other stipulations which tie his ongoing
affiliation with Callaway to his successful maintenance of sobriety and stable
behavior.
    "We are pleased and proud that John Daly will endorse and use our golf
clubs," Mr. Dye said.  "John has our best wishes and strong support in every
way we can be helpful to this exceptionally talented golfer.  We believe that
our joint efforts and goals in this exciting partnership will be good for John
Daly, Callaway Golf, and for this great game."
    Callaway Golf Founder and Chairman Ely Callaway, who visited Daly at his
Palm Springs home shortly after the golfer expressed an interest in using
Callaway golf clubs, said he believes the unique nature of Daly's agreement
with Callaway will help the golfer regain and maintain the self control and
the competitive skills that enabled him to win two major championships before
the age of 30.
    "John Daly is one of the most skillful professionals in the world of
competitive golf and he is also a very likable and charismatic young man," Mr.
Callaway said.  "We share with John an enthusiasm and optimism for the success
of our partnership throughout the term of our relationship."
    Callaway will also launch an advertising campaign titled, "Keep It
Straight, John" in conjunction with Daly's return.
    The campaign, created by ad agency Daily & Associates, will feature Daly's
promotion of the Biggest Big Bertha Driver and at the same time offer the
golfer a sage piece of advice.
    The television campaign will air on PGA tournament broadcasts and ESPN.
The print ads will appear immediately in golf magazines, including Sports
Illustrated's Golf Plus Edition.
    "John suggested the theme for the ad campaign," noted Mr. Callaway.  "We
all wanted a slogan that would be encouraging.  It fits with his conviction
that our product can help him win."
    Daly, 31, has led the PGA Tour in driving distance for five of the past
six seasons.  He will try to regain his position as the PGA Tour's longest
hitter by using Callaway's newest driver, The Biggest Big Bertha(TM) Driver.
He also will play with at least 12 Callaway golf clubs.
    "It will be nice to be part of the Callaway family, which cares not only
about my golf, but my personal life and well being," Daly said.  "I am greatly
looking forward to playing The Biggest Big Bertha Driver and the Big Bertha
Irons in competition and hopefully contributing to the development of an
outstanding golf ball in the future.  As for my commitment to sobriety, I have
an outcare program in place, and plan to live one day at a time.  I hope and
believe this approach will be successful."
    Daly has been a huge fan favorite ever since he burst on the scene with
his remarkable victory in the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club
in Carmel, Ind.  It was there that he shocked the golf world, going from 9th
alternate to PGA Champion, from obscurity to worldwide celebrity.  He proved
in 1995 that he definitely belonged among the game's major players when he won
the British open at St. Andrews to join Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Johnny
Miller as just the fourth U.S. player in modern times to win two Grand Slam
events while still in his 20s.
    In between those victories, Daly won the 1992 B.C. Open by six strokes and
the 1994 BellSouth Classic.  Before joining the PGA Tour, he also won twice on
the South African Tour and once on the Nike (ne: Hogan) Tour.

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