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John Patrick Daly (born April 28, 1966), is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Daly is known for his powerful swing and inconsistent performance, with exceptional wins and controversial incidents. He has had several notable incidents during tournaments, including hitting balls over spectators' heads and being disqualified for breaking rules. Daly has won tournaments in multiple countries and holds the record for the first PGA Tour player to average over 300 yards per drive in a season. Outside of golf, he has launched clothing lines, a wine label, and a music album.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | John Patrick Daly |
| Born | April 28, 1966, Carmichael, California |
| Parents | Jim Daly (father), Lou Daly (mother) |
| Siblings | One older sister, one older brother (Jamie Daly) |
| Spouse | N/A |
| Profession | Professional Golfer |
| Golf Tour | PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions |
| Nicknames | Long John, Wild Thing |
| Notable Achievements | Winner of the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 Open Championship |
| Other Ventures | Endorsement deals, music albums, clothing line, wine label, cannabis products, golf course design |
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What You'll Learn
John Daly's golfing career
John Patrick Daly, born on April 28, 1966, in Carmichael, California, is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Daly is known for his driving distance off the tee, earning him the nickname "Long John", his non-country-club appearance and attitude, his exceptionally long backswing, and the inconsistency of his play.
Daly began playing golf at the age of five when his family moved to Dardanelle, Arkansas. At the age of ten, his family moved again to Locust Grove, Orange County, Virginia, where he won the spring club championship at the Lake of the Woods Golf Course, defeating all the male members. Daly's two greatest on-course accomplishments are his "zero-to-hero" victory in the 1991 PGA Championship and his playoff victory over Costantino Rocca in the 1995 Open Championship. In addition to his wins in the United States, Daly has won accredited pro events in South Africa, Swaziland (Eswatini), Scotland, Germany, South Korea, Turkey, and Canada.
Daly is known for his powerful golf swing, which requires almost perfect timing for proper execution. He has had several notable incidents during golf tournaments that have contributed to his "Wild Thing" image. For example, during an exhibition clinic at the 1993 Fred Meyer Challenge, Daly started hitting balls over the heads of spectators in a grandstand, infuriating fellow PGA golfer Peter Jacobsen, the event host. This incident resulted in a $30,000 fine from the PGA Tour.
Daly's last PGA Tour victory was in San Diego in 2004, after which his career began to falter. He has had success in various business ventures, including endorsements, a golf course design company, and a music career, releasing two albums. As of February 20, 2023, Daly's career earnings were $10,270,681, although he does not rank among the top 50 on the PGA Tour's All-Time Career Money List.
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Daly's personal life
John Daly's personal life has been described as turbulent, with a series of personal struggles. Daly has struggled with alcoholism and gambling addiction, as well as health issues. In 2008, Daly's swing coach, Butch Harmon, quit, stating that "the most important thing in [Daly's] life is getting drunk." This resulted in negative publicity for the golfer. Following this incident, Daly committed to stop drinking alcohol, which he has successfully controlled since. Daly has attributed his past struggles with alcohol to his father, who was an alcoholic and abusive.
Daly has also had issues with gambling, reportedly losing $51 million in the mid-1990s. He has expressed difficulty in paying alimony, child support, and other expenses due to his gambling. In addition to his struggles with addiction and gambling, Daly has faced weight problems, undergoing lip-band surgery in 2009 to control his weight.
Outside of golf, Daly pursued a brief music career, releasing two music albums and providing backup vocals for a Kid Rock song. He also owns a company called 'JD Designs', which designs golf courses. Daly's larger-than-life personality and colourful wardrobe have made him a prominent figure in the golfing world, both on and off the course.
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His business ventures
John Daly is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. He is known for his powerful drives and aggressive play, as well as his colourful and unpredictable behaviour. Daly has had several controversies during golf tournaments, earning him the nickname "Wild Thing". Despite his impressive career earnings, Daly has faced financial struggles due to significant gambling losses, multiple divorces, and legal battles. However, he has demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit with various business ventures beyond the golf course.
One of Daly's ventures is his company, JD Designs, which specialises in golf course architecture. He has designed several notable golf courses, including the Sevillano Links at Rolling Hills Casino in Corning, California. This course was named "Best New Golf Course" by Golfweek magazine and is one of the few links-style golf courses in the Western United States. Other courses designed by Daly include the Wicked Stick Golf Links in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, which has since closed.
In addition to his work in golf course design, Daly has ventured into the food and beverage industry. He introduced the John Daly Cocktail, a twist on the Arnold Palmer drink that includes vodka. He also launched a wine label, John Daly Wines, which is now defunct. Daly has collaborated with brands such as Goodboy Vodka, and he ventured into the food industry with John Daly Pizza.
Daly has also pursued music endeavours, releasing his second music album, "I Only Know One Way", in 2010. He provided backup vocals for the 2007 Kid Rock song "Half Your Age". In terms of endorsements, Daly signed a deal with Rock Bottom Golf in 2014 and has a partnership with Loudmouth Golf, which includes licensing deals with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and Arkansas Razorbacks. Daly's net worth in 2025 was estimated to be around $2 million, reflecting his career earnings, business ventures, and endorsements.
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Tournament controversies
John Patrick Daly is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. Daly is known for his driving distance off the tee, his exceptionally long backswing, and the inconsistency of his play. Daly has had several incidents during golf tournaments that have contributed to his "Wild Thing" image.
During an exhibition clinic at the 1993 Fred Meyer Challenge, Daly started hitting balls over the heads of spectators in a grandstand to show off his driving talents. This infuriated fellow PGA golfer Peter Jacobsen, the host of the event. The PGA Tour fined Daly $30,000 for this incident.
At the 1993 Kapalua International, Daly was disqualified for picking up his ball after a missed birdie putt before finishing the eleventh hole and putting the ball in his pocket. He was then suspended by the PGA Tour.
During the 1994 PGA Tour's NEC World Series of Golf, Daly hit several shots into the group playing in front of him on the 14th hole in the final round. Daly drove the green twice, and one of those shots almost hit professional golfer Jeff Roth, leading to a scuffle between Daly and Jeff Roth's father.
In 2008, Daly was involved in two more controversial incidents. The first occurred at the 2008 Australian Open when he broke a spectator's camera and was given a suspended fine by Golf Australia. The second incident occurred in December of that year when he was suspended for six months by the PGA Tour after an encounter with the Winston-Salem police, who found him drunk outside a Hooters restaurant.
Daly has also received fines for walking out on events, missing tee-off times, and playing on a course without wearing shoes or a shirt. He has also withdrawn from tournaments due to his struggles with alcoholism and has been disqualified for not signing his scorecard.
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Daly's early life
John Patrick Daly, born on April 28, 1966, in Carmichael, California, is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. Daly is known for his powerful golf swing, driving distance off the tee, and inconsistent performance. His early life was marked by a fascination with golf, a talent for the sport, and a challenging family situation.
Daly was born to Lou Daly, a homemaker, and Jim Daly, a construction worker for nuclear power plants who frequently worked night shifts and was often absent during Daly's formative years. Daly is the youngest of three children; he has an older sister, Leslie, and an older brother, Jamie.
When Daly was four years old, his family moved from California to Dardanelle, Arkansas. It was during this time that he first discovered his love for golf, as his father gifted him two cut-off golf clubs. The following year, at the age of five, Daly began playing golf at the Bay Ridge Boat and Golf Club in Dardanelle.
When Daly was ten, his family moved again to Locust Grove, Orange County, Virginia. He continued to pursue his passion for golf at the Lake of the Woods Golf Course in Locust Grove, where he demonstrated his talent for the sport by winning the spring club championship at just 13 years old, defeating all the male members.
Daly faced challenges due to his father's frequent absences during his childhood. His father struggled with alcoholism and abuse, which later impacted Daly's own struggles with alcohol addiction. Despite these difficulties, Daly persevered and went on to achieve success in golf, with his career taking off in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, John Patrick Daly is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.
John Daly has been given the nicknames "Long John" and "Wild Thing". "Long John" refers to his driving distance off the tee, while "Wild Thing" refers to his inconsistent performance and controversial incidents during golf tournaments.
John Daly's two greatest on-course accomplishments are his victory in the 1991 PGA Championship and his playoff victory over Costantino Rocca in the 1995 Open Championship. In addition, Daly has won accredited pro events in multiple countries outside of the US.
