00:00One of the most exciting characters to ever grace the game of golf, John Daly has been
00:05one of the most enjoyable, unpredictable and maverick golfers of the last 30 years.
00:11He's led a fascinating life on and off the golf course, so let's get to know the American even
00:17better here with 10 interesting facts. Born in California in 1966, Daly actually grew up across
00:24the American South. He's lived in Arkansas, Virginia, Louisiana and Missouri. He took up the game of
00:30golf aged four. When John was 10, his family moved to Locust Grove, Virginia, where he played golf
00:37at the Lake of the Woods golf course. He won the Spring Club Championship aged 13,
00:42defeating all the male members. The club promptly changed its rules barring juniors from future
00:48open club competitions. His first set of clubs were an adult set that he cut down himself.
00:53They were so long and heavy that on his backswing, the club kept going past parallel.
00:59In short, these clubs created Daly's famous overswing that we know today.
01:03Daly attended the University of Arkansas from 1984 to 1987 on a golf scholarship.
01:09His golf team coaches were Steve Loy and Bill Woodley, but Daly had a tricky relationship with
01:15both due to his drinking problems and infrequent class attendance. Daly qualified for the 1986 US
01:21Open as an amateur, but he missed the 36 hole cut with scores of 88 and 76.
01:27John Daly has won two of golf's majors, the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 Open Championship.
01:35He was the ninth and final alternate at the 1991 PGA Championship after Nick Price had to withdraw
01:41last minute to attend the imminent birth of his child. Daly went on to win the event by three shots
01:47and was propelled from unknown rookie to international celebrity in the space of a weekend.
01:52Despite these two major victories, Daly is the only eligible two-time major winner to have never been
01:58selected for a Ryder Cup team. John Daly has a flowing, self-taught golf swing which is built for
02:03raw power and distance. As enjoyable as this is to watch and as successful as it has been at times,
02:09Daly's golf swing has contributed to his inconsistent performance during some tournaments. Since almost
02:15perfect timing is required for proper execution of such a powerful golf swing, Daly's career has
02:20had its peaks and troughs. Did you know John Daly has also had a music career? In 2007 he provided
02:27backup vocals for Kid Rock and he has released three country and western albums under his own name.
02:33His most recent album, Whiskey and Water was released in March 2022 and Willie Nelson has had a guest
02:40appearance on Daly's first album, My Life. In his 2006 autobiography, Daly claims he has lost between
02:4750 and 60 million dollars gambling. Daly and his son John Daly II signed a deal with Hooters in 2022.
02:57The two-time major winner and his son will promote the risque US restaurant chain via social media and
03:03some branded apparel. As well as his 19 professional wins on various tours,
03:09John Daly is credited 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.
03:21So there you have it, 10 facts about the true enigma that is John Daly.
03:26While these facts barely scratch the surface of Daly's fascinating life and career so far,
03:31I hope you've learned a lot about one of the game's most famous names.
03:34For more facts and information about your favourite players,
03:37you can visit the tour section on the Golf Monthly website.
Comments