Mickelson a Winner, Daly a Loser

Payne Stewart may have won the U.S. Open, but Phil Mickelson won my vote as the No. 1 class act in golf. He held his head up high, showed courage and great dignity while losing. There is an old saying that “victory has a hundred fathers, defeat is an orphan.” I can assure you that Mickelson in defeat is no orphan.

RONALD COOPER, La Crescenta

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I was quite amused with Bill Plaschke’s column on John Daly (“Daly Fades, Doesn’t Fold,” June 19). The column was somewhat premature, because, as usual, that’s exactly what Daly did, shooting final rounds of 81 and 83, and then threatening to take his clubs and go home for next year’s U.S. Open. Given the history and prestige of the tournament, I’m sure that it will survive his absence.

However, I was even more intrigued with Plaschke’s comment that Daly “reminds us of our neighbors, our co-workers, ourselves.” Plaschke must travel in different circles than I do. I don’t know any neighbors or co-workers who have amassed gambling debts of $9 million, and then were fortunate enough to have a sponsor help pay them off.

Furthermore, my neighbors and co-workers are generally hard-working people, who see a job through to the end, instead of having the luxury of being a quitter and whiner, like Daly.

JIM REDHEAD, San Diego