John Daly has never been one to pull his punches and yesterday the troubled former Open champion accused Butch Harmon, the renowned coach and television analyst, of effectively blighting his professional life.

Daly, 42, has lost his playing rights on the PGA Tour in the United States and relies primarily on sponsors' invitations. However, these have started to dry up for a player who has battled alcoholism and admits to having lost more than $60 million [about £32 million] gambling, and he has laid much of the blame at Harmon's door.

Asked if he thought that tournament directors were steering clear of him because of his “lifestyle issues”, Daly said: “Most of that stuff started with Butch Harmon. I think his lies kind of destroyed my life for a bit.”

He was referring to a time this season when Harmon, with whom he had been working, ended their association after an incident at the PODS Championship in March, when Daly was reported to have been drinking in a Hooters hospitality tent during a rain delay. “The most important thing in his life is getting drunk,” Harmon said.

Soon after, Daly failed to turn up for the pro-am event at the Arnold Palmer Invitational - having received an invitation - and has since struggled to find places to play. “I just wish he hadn't said the things he did that made you guys [the press] write some pretty bad things about me when nobody had the facts,” Daly said. “That hurt. There were some rumours flying, probably because of my past. My lifestyle has been great. I'm eating too much, but I'm hardly drinking at all - and I never go out. I guess that's just the way my life is going to be for a long time because of my past.”

Asked if Harmon had apologised, Daly said that he had tried to speak to him on the phone and had been told that Harmon would make a retraction, but he has not. “I don't know what his problem is, but he needs to stay as far away from me as he possibly can,” Daly said. “He just made up stuff that he didn't really know the facts [about] by putting it out all over the world and not talking to me. It's ridiculous. Real men don't do that.”

Harmon said yesterday: “I'm sorry JD feels that way. I think [he] is a good guy, but he needs to take some responsibility for his actions.”

Daly has missed six halfway cuts in succession on the PGA Tour, blaming injuries. He has qualified for the Open as a former champion - he beat Costantino Rocca in a play-off at St Andrews in 1995 - but will do well to make the cut at Royal Birkdale. His rhythm has gone, his distance off the tee is reduced and the wind is likely to play havoc, given his long game.