Who's who: John Daly

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Who's who: John Daly

  • Name:

    John Patrick Daly
  • Country:

    USA
  • Born:

    April 28, 1966 in Carmichael, nr Sacramento, California.
  • Original/Home Club:

    University of Arkansas
  • Occupation:

    Professional golfer; golf course designer; fashion entrepreneur; song writer and recording artist.
  • Turned Pro:

    1987
  • Website:

    https://www.johndaly.com

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (2): US PGA Championship (1991); The Open (1995). Multiple wins on the PGA Tour (5), European Tour (3) and Asian Tour (1). PGA Tour Rookie of the Year (1991).

Golf course design

Daly's best known design projects include, but are not limited to: Blarney Resort (Ireland); Thundering Waters (Niagara Falls, Ontario); Murder Rock (Missouri); The Lion's Den (Arkansas) and Wicked Stick (Myrtle Beach).

Did you know?

Daly is unquestionably one of the most colourful, flamboyant and controversial golfers of the modern-era. On the golf course he is known for his significant "overswing," which produced prodigiously long drives in his prime. The "Long John" drives were backed-up with a fabulous short game, which allowed Daly to capture two major championship titles during his turbulent career. The second major came in the 1995 Open Championship on the Old course, St Andrews, where he comfortably beat Costantino Rocca in a four-hole playoff. Daly is the only two-time major winner not to have appeared in a Ryder Cup.

On and off the golf course, Daly has been a controversial character. Spats with officials and spectators have featured along the way, with fines and penalties being meted out, not least in one or two Australian tournaments. Gambling and alcohol addiction also played a part in Daly's eventful career, although he is now teetotal.

More recently Daly has promoted a line of golf apparel that is unashamedly "loud." Through all the ups and downs, Daly has maintained a large and loyal fan base, and is generally regarded as a "big draw" by tournament promoters.

Top tournaments won by John Daly

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Score

117 (-27)

Prize money

$200,000

Title sponsor

PNC

Played as the PNC Championship (Dec 18/19; post-season 36-hole scramble event). Second-placed Team Woods (Tiger & his 12-year-old son Charlie) finished 2 shots behind Team Daly (John & his son John Daly II). The Daly's won the Willie Park Trophy (a pair of red leather championship belts). [Ritz-Carlton GC, Grande Lakes, Orlando, FL]. Note: this was Tiger Woods first competitive event following his serious car accident in February 2021.

2017
America
202 (-14)
$322,500
Insperity

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Score

202 (-14)

Prize money

$322,500

Title sponsor

Insperity

Played as the Insperity Invitational (May 5-7). Second-placed Tommy Armour III (USA) and Kenny Perry (USA) finished 1 shot behind 51-year-old John Daly (USA), who recorded his first PGA Tour Champions win after exactly a year on the Tour. [Tournament course, The Woodlands CC, nr Houston, TX].

2004
America
278 (-10)
$864,000
Buick

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Score

278 (-10)

Prize money

$864,000

Title sponsor

Buick

Played as the Buick Invitational (Feb 12-15). Daly (USA) beat Luke Donald (Eng) and Chris Riley (US) with a birdie at the first playoff hole. [South course, Torrey Pines, La Jolla, CA; earlier rounds on North & South courses].

2003
Asia
Woo Jeong Hills
282 (-6)
US$85,543
Kolon

Category

Asia

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Venue

Woo Jeong Hills

Score

282 (-6)

Prize money

US$85,543

Title sponsor

Kolon

Played as the Kolon Korea Open (Oct 9-12; Asian/Korean Trs event). Second-placed Thaworn Wiratchant (Thai) finished 1 shot behind first-time Asian Tour winner Daly (USA). [Woo Jeong Hills CC, Cheonan, S Korea].

2001
Europe
261 (-27)
€300,000
BMW

Category

Europe

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Score

261 (-27)

Prize money

€300,000

Title sponsor

BMW

Played as the BMW International Open (Aug 30-Sep 2). Second-placed Pádraig Harrington (Ire) finished 1 shot behind John Daly (USA), who recorded the last of his three European Tour wins. [Golfclub München Eichenried, nr Munich, Germany].

1999
America
260 (-24)
$220,000
JCPenney

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Score

260 (-24)

Prize money

$220,000

Title sponsor

JCPenney

Played as the JCPenney Classic (Dec 2-5; two-person team event; one PGA Tr, one LPGA Tr; the last JC Penney Classic after a 23-year run). Winning team of John Daly (USA) & Laura Davies (Eng) beat Paul Azinger (USA) & Se Ri Pak (S Kor) with a 30-foot birdie putt at the third playoff hole. [Copperhead course, Innisbrook Resort, Palm Harbor, nr Tampa, FL].

1995
Majors
282 (-6)
£125,000
R&A

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Score

282 (-6)

Prize money

£125,000

Title sponsor

R&A

The Open Championship (124th) (July 20-23). Daly (USA) beat Costantino Rocca (Italy) in a four-hole playoff: Daly 15 (-1), Rocca 19 (+3). [The Old Course, St Andrews, Fife].

1994
America
Atlanta CC
274 (-14)
$216,000
BellSouth

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Venue

Atlanta CC

Score

274 (-14)

Prize money

$216,000

Title sponsor

BellSouth

Played as the BellSouth Classic (May 5-8). Second-placed Brian Henninger (USA) and defending champion Nolan Henke (USA) finished 1 shot behind Daly (USA). [Atlanta CC, Marietta, Georgia].

1992
America
266 (-18)
$144,000
x

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Venue

En-Joie

Score

266 (-18)

Prize money

$144,000

Title sponsor

x

Played as the B.C. Open (Sept 24-27). Second-placed Jay Haas (USA), Nolan Henke (USA), Joel Edwards (USA) and Ken Green (USA) finished 6 shots behind Daly (USA), who recorded his second PGA Tour win. [En-Joie GC, Endicott, NY].

1991
Majors
276 (-12)
$230,000
PGA of America

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Score

276 (-12)

Prize money

$230,000

Title sponsor

PGA of America

The US PGA Championship (73rd) (Aug 8-11). Second-placed Bruce Lietzke (USA) finished 3 shots behind first-time major championship winner Daly (USA). Daly, the ninth alternate, got his chance to play when Nick Price withdrew. Without a practice round, Daly posted a first round 69. He seized the lead in the second round, and didn't let it go. [Crooked Stick GC, Carmel, Ind.].

1991
Awards
$574,783
see Score
PGA Tour

Category

Awards

Winner (holder)

Daly, John

Venue

Score

$574,783

Prize money

see Score

Title sponsor

PGA Tour

Daly (USA) won the PGA Tour 1991 Rookie of the Year Award as the leading first-season player. He finished 17th on the Tour's money list, with earnings of $574,783.

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