Pro golfer's lawsuit against Florida newspaper dismissed

Professional golfer John Daly’s defamation lawsuit against The Florida Times-Union has been dismissed by a Jacksonville judge, the newspaper reports.

Daly sued the newspaper and one of its former sports columnists in 2005, saying writer Mike Freeman, now with CBS Sports, defamed him in a piece that discussed domestic violence accusations against the golfer. Daly also took issue with comparisons to a former NBA player who had fathered children with various mothers and a former NFL player with well-publicized drug problems.

Judge Hugh Carithers of the Fourth Judicial Circuit Court ruled that Freeman did not "knowingly publish untruths" and the column sections in question were either undisputed facts or constitutionally protected opinion, The Times-Union said. Daly’s attorney told the newspaper that an appeal was being considered.