• 4 days ago
10 Facts About John Daly
Transcript
00:00One of the most exciting characters to ever grace the game of golf, John Daly has
00:05been one of the most enjoyable, unpredictable and maverick golfers of
00:09the last 30 years. He's led a fascinating life on and off the golf course, so
00:15let's get to know the American even better here with 10 interesting facts.
00:19Born in California in 1966, Daly actually grew up across the American South. He's
00:26lived in Arkansas, Virginia, Louisiana and Missouri. He took up the game of golf
00:30aged four. When John was 10, his family moved to Locust Grove, Virginia where he
00:36played golf at the Lake of the Woods golf course. He won the Spring Club
00:40Championship aged 13, defeating all the male members. The club promptly changed
00:46its rules, barring juniors from future Open Club competitions. His first set of
00:50clubs were an adult set that he cut down himself. They were so long and heavy that
00:55on his backswing the club kept going past parallel. In short, these clubs
01:00created Daly's famous overswing that we know today. Daly attended the University
01:05of Arkansas from 1984 to 1987 on a golf scholarship. His golf team coaches were
01:11Steve Loy and Bill Woodley, but Daly had a tricky relationship with both due to
01:15his drinking problems and infrequent class attendance. Daly qualified for the
01:201986 US Open as an amateur, but he missed the 36 hole cut with scores of 88 and 76.
01:26John Daly has won two of golf's majors, the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995
01:33Open Championship. He was the ninth and final alternate at the 1991 PGA
01:38Championship after Nick Price had to withdraw last minute to attend the
01:42imminent birth of his child. Daly went on to win the event by three shots and was
01:47propelled from unknown rookie to international celebrity in the space of
01:51a weekend. Despite these two major victories, Daly is the only eligible
01:56two-time major winner to have never been selected for a Ryder Cup team. John Daly
02:00has a flowing, self-taught golf swing which is built for raw power and
02:04distance. As enjoyable as this is to watch and as successful as it has been
02:09at times, Daly's golf swing has contributed to his inconsistent
02:12performance during some tournaments. Since almost perfect timing is required
02:17for proper execution of such a powerful golf swing, Daly's career has had its
02:21peaks and troughs. Did you know John Daly has also had a music career? In 2007 he
02:27provided backup vocals for Kid Rock and he has released three country and
02:31western albums under his own name. His most recent album, Whiskey and Water, was
02:36released in March 2022 and Willie Nelson has had a guest appearance on Daly's
02:41first album, My Life. In his 2006 autobiography, Daly claims he has lost
02:47between 50 and 60 million dollars gambling. Daly and his son John Daly II
02:53signed a deal with Hooters in 2022. The two-time major winner and his son will
02:59promote the risque US restaurant chain via social media and some branded
03:04apparel. As well as his 19 professional wins on various tours, John Daly is
03:10credited by the PGA Tour with having the highest ever score on a single hole.
03:14He had an 18 on a par 5 during the 1998 Bay Hill Invitational. So there you have
03:22it, 10 facts about the true enigma that is John Daly. While these facts barely
03:27scratch the surface of Daly's fascinating life and career so far, I
03:31hope you've learned a lot about one of the game's most famous names. For more
03:35facts and information about your favorite players, you can visit the tour
03:38section on the Golf Monthly website.