ORLANDO, Fla. — One day after being fired by his swing coach, John Daly missed his pro-am time today at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and was disqualified from the tournament.

Daly, invited to Bay Hill on a sponsor's exemption, told tournament officials he thought his tee time was 9:47 a.m. instead of 8:40 a.m. He was on his way to the golf course when told there was no point in showing up.

His disqualification wound up knocking two other players out of the tournament.

Ryuji Imada and Nick O'Hern thought they were alternates for the afternoon session of the pro-am. Neither was at Bay Hill when Daly missed his time, so they also were disqualified from playing this week.

Imada was among those who tied for second last week at the PODS Championship, and at No. 68 in the world, he is trying to crack the top 50 to qualify for the Masters.

O'Hern was furious to learn he had been disqualified, especially because he lives only five minutes away at Isleworth.

"When I should have been on the tee, I was giving my girls breakfast," O'Hern said. "I thought common sense would have prevailed. This is a tough one to take. Unfortunately, we got caught up in John's snowball effect."

Daly could not be located for comment, and his agent, Bud Martin, did not immediately return a phone call.

The tour has a policy that anyone missing the pro-am cannot play in the tournament except for a valid excuse, such as an injury. Phil Mickelson missed his pro-am at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship last year, but was allowed to play because he had been in Arkansas and his flight was delayed by weather.

According to a rules official, Daly called Bay Hill to ask for his tee time and was told 9:47 a.m., which was his starting time for the first round Thursday. He was on his way to the golf course when told he would not be playing.

His disqualification comes one day after Butch Harmon, one of golf's most renowned swing coaches, said he was done working with Daly because the two-time major champion appeared more interested in drinking than working on his game.

"My whole goal for him was he's got to show me golf is the most important thing in his life," Harmon said. "And the most important thing in his life is getting drunk."

Harmon said he has worked three times this year with Daly, but he said Daly's behavior at the PODS Championship was enough to end the short-lived relationship.

Daly, playing on a sponsor's exemption because he no longer has his full PGA Tour card, spent a 2½-hour rain delay during the first round in a Hooters corporate tent behind the 17th green at Innisbrook. He was 3 over, and when play resumed, he had Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden caddie for him the rest of the day. Daly ended up with a 77.

He followed that with an 80 in the second round to miss the cut.

Daly spent Saturday at the Hooters "Owl's Nest" at the tournament, drinking beer, mingling with fans and signing autographs, including one on the back of a woman's pants.

"I've let him know that after his actions of last weekend, we are no longer together," Harmon said. "In all honesty, I'm a very busy person. I'm willing to help the kid, but until he helps himself and makes golf his No. 1 priority, I'm not his guy.

"Jon Gruden caddying, I thought was ridiculous. I thought he made a circus out of the whole event."

Daly has only one top-10 finish at Bay Hill, although memories are littered around Palmer's course. Daly took an 18 on the sixth hole in 1998 when he shot an 85. He shot an 87 in the final round of 2000.

He was replaced as an alternate by Ian Poulter, who also misunderstood the rules. Poulter was an alternate in the afternoon, but thought he was to be at Bay Hill in the morning.

The confusion for O'Hern and Imada stems from a rule that was created two years ago. The alternates are listed in order until Tuesday afternoon, in case anyone withdraws. After that, the Nos. 1, 3 and 5 alternates are assigned to the morning, and Nos. 2, 4 and 6 are assigned to the afternoon.

Fredrik Jacobson was No. 1, but was excused from being an alternate ahead of time. Imada was No. 3 and O'Hern was No. 5.

O'Hern wondered why, since Poulter was around to fill the spot, he or Imada could not be placed in the afternoon group of alternates.

"That would be common sense," he said. "I don't see why they can't do that. At the same time, they've got to have some sort of rule."