John Daly could still appear in this year’s Irish Open despite being suspended for six months by the USPGA Tour for "conduct that brought unwelcome publicity", including a night in a North Carolina jail to sober up.

Daly said the suspension, was the “lowest point” of his wild 18-year career

"Is it fair that I got suspended? It's not fair in reality, but it's probably fair in perception," said Daly after announcing his ban last night.

The twice-major champion has not played on the PGA Tour since he missed the cut in October at a tournament in Las Vegas. Ten days later, police in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said he appeared intoxicated outside a Hooters restaurant, and he was taken to jail to sleep it off. That led to a photo of Daly in an orange jail suit with his eyes half open.

The PGA Tour spokesman Ty Votaw was asked a month ago whether Daly had been suspended, but he said that the tour does not discuss disciplinary action involving any player.

Daly said he had decided to go public with the suspension "to be fair to my fans and tournament organisers" during the first three months of the season when he typically plays. He said he would continue playing the European Tour, starting with three tournaments in the UAE.

"This is the lowest I've ever been," Daly said.

"Right now, my home tour is probably Europe. And I love the European Tour. I always have. But my home is the United States. That's where I would rather play."