GIRONA, Spain (PA) -- John Daly has always been a colourful character, but for his return to golf in the Spanish Open this week he is taking it to a whole new level.

Banned by the PGA Tour for six months in November -- just after he was taken into jail to sober up -- and about 40 pounds lighter following lap-band stomach surgery in February, Daly is in Europe for the next month.

He could be seen for miles in Wednesday's pro-am at PGA Golf de Catalunya because of his orange shirt and a pair of outrageous trousers that even Ian Poulter might think twice about wearing.

The two-time major winner, very serious about what he hopes to achieve in his comeback, warned: "It gets brighter than these, but I like that stuff -- and nobody else has thrown things my way."

Daly's collapse to his current 788th in the world and his long list of adverse publicity has left the American, 43 on Tuesday, without any sponsors for the first time since he stunned the sporting world with his out-of-the-blue victory in the 1991 PGA Championship.

There were reports earlier this month of him being close to bankruptcy -- "everybody knows I need the money," he said while selling merchandise outside the gates of Augusta National while the Masters was taking place.

But, while admitting he owes taxes and has lost "a ton of money" on the stock market, Daly insists that the main driving force when he tees off for the first time since December's Australian Open is to prove things to himself. He has not won for five years and he has had only one top-20 finish in almost two years.

"Hopefully I can win again," he said. "That would be the greatest thing. Does not matter where or when. It does not matter what tour it's on because it's hard to win now.

"I wanted to lose the weight to get better at golf," he expained. "You get to the point when nothing goes right and you almost give up on yourself, but I love the game, I want to keep playing and no matter what it takes I will do that."

He is down already from about 280 poinds to around 230 or 240, and and his target is to lose about 30 more pounds.

"The tough thing is that I can't eat food I used to like," he said. "You have to chew and chew otherwise you throw up. That's only happened about 20 times so far!"

He has linked up with Phil Mickelson's former coach Rick Smith and with a sports psychologist who has advised him not to expect too much too soon.

"I'm rusty. You can practice all day long, but competition is totally different," he said. "I'll be nervous, but you're always nervous. If the butterflies are not there you don't have the desire any more -- and I love the game so much."

The long-term dream is to win a third major and he is looking forward to July's British Open at Turnberry, a course he led on 15 years ago. But just to be playing again is the first step -- and one fellow competitor certainly welcoming him back is Colin Montgomerie.

"We know why he's here and it's great that the European Tour have accepted him with open arms," said the Ryder Cup captain. "I think it's right and as a charismatic character he can only add to the Tour. There are only a few players in the world of sport who have had his raw talent. He is right up there."

Daly also will play the Italian and Irish Opens the next two weeks, then the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and possibly the European Open at The London Club in Kent before returning to the United States.

No longer a full member on the PGA Tour, he is writing to sponsors to seek invitations.

Copyright 2009 PA Sport. All rights reserved.