Career Timeline of John Daly (golfer): Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how John Daly (golfer) made an impact.

John Daly is a professional golfer renowned for his prodigious driving distance and unconventional persona. He gained prominence with a surprise victory at the 1991 PGA Championship and later secured the 1995 Open Championship. Despite his talent, Daly's career has been marked by inconsistency and personal struggles, contributing to his unique and often controversial image in the world of golf. He currently competes on the PGA Tour Champions.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1983: Missouri State Amateur Championship Win

In 1983, John Daly achieved his first significant golf success by winning the Missouri State Amateur Championship.

1984: Arkansas State Amateur Championship Win

In 1984, John Daly won the Arkansas State Amateur Championship, adding to his amateur golf achievements.

1986: Qualified for U.S. Open

In 1986, John Daly qualified for the U.S. Open as an amateur but missed the 36-hole cut.

1987: Turned Professional and First Pro Victory

In the summer of 1987, John Daly turned professional after leaving college and shortly after secured his first pro victory in the Missouri Open.

1989: Played in Minor Events

From 1987 to 1989, John Daly primarily participated in minor events around the U.S. and had some success during the 1989–90 season on the Southern African Tour.

1990: Ben Hogan Tour and Sunshine Tour

In 1990, John Daly earned full playing privileges on the Ben Hogan Tour and won two Sunshine Tour events, one in South Africa and one in Swaziland.

1990: Ben Hogan Utah Classic Win and PGA Tour Qualifying

In 1990, John Daly won the Ben Hogan Utah Classic and finished T-12 at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

1991: Donation to Family After PGA Championship

After winning the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club in 1991, Daly donated $30,000 to the family of a man who died during the tournament due to lightning strike.

1991: PGA Championship victory and 10-year exemption

In 1991, Daly won the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club, which carried a 10-year PGA Tour exemption.

1991: PGA Championship Victory

In 1991, John Daly achieved a "zero-to-hero" victory in the PGA Championship, marking one of his greatest on-course accomplishments.

1991: PGA Tour Privileges

In 1991, John Daly earned PGA Tour privileges on his fourth attempt.

1991: PGA Tour Join and PGA Championship Victory

In 1991, John Daly joined the PGA Tour and won the PGA Championship as the ninth alternate, gaining significant media attention.

1992: Win the B.C. Open

In 1992, John Daly win the B.C. Open by six strokes late in the season for his second PGA Tour title.

1993: 1993 season

In 1993, Daly's season was his least successful since joining the PGA Tour. He notably finished T-3 at the Masters Tournament and won the Alfred Dunhill Cup with Fred Couples and Payne Stewart.

1994: BellSouth Classic Win

In 1994, Daly won the BellSouth Classic.

1995: Best PGA Tour Season Since 1995

In 2001, John Daly had his best PGA Tour season since 1995, where his best result was finishing 4th at the Bell Canadian Open.

1996: 1996 Season

In 1996, Daly finished T-19 at The Players Championship and had a top-10 finish at the Kemper Open. His only win in 1996 was at the AT&T Australian Skins Game.

1999: JCPenney Classic Win

In 1999, John Daly won the JCPenney Classic. At the 1999 U.S. Open, Daly finished 68th place.

2001: BMW International Open Win

In 2001, John Daly won the BMW International Open by one stroke over Pádraig Harrington. He also had his best PGA Tour season since 1995.

2002: Inducted into Arkansas Golf Hall of Fame

In 2002, John Daly was inducted into the Arkansas Golf Hall of Fame. He also achieved two top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour, with 4th-place finishes at the Buick Invitational and the Phoenix Open. Daly made the cut at the 2002 Masters, finishing T-32, and won the Champions Challenge, a non-PGA or European Tour event. He was also a member of the winning PGA Tour team in the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge.

2003: T-7 at Shell Houston Open and Korea Open win

In 2003, John Daly finished T-7 at the Shell Houston Open and won the Korea Open, a prestigious event on the Korean Tour. He was also a member of the winning PGA Tour team in the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge in 2003.

2004: Buick Invitational Win and Comeback Player of the Year

In 2004, Daly won the Buick Invitational in a playoff against Luke Donald and Chris Riley, marking his first victory in 189 PGA Tour events and his first win on American soil since 1994. He was also selected as PGA Tour Comeback Player of the Year for 2004 and ranked 4th on the PGA Tour.

2004: Buick Invitational Win and Two-Year Exemption

In 2004, Daly won the Buick Invitational, earning a two-year exemption which expired at the end of 2006.

2004: Appearance in Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game series

In 2004, John Daly appeared in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game series.

2004: Last PGA Tour Victory

In 2004, John Daly secured his last PGA Tour victory in San Diego, which earned him a two-year playing exemption.

October 2005: Gambling Losses After WGC-American Express

In October 2005, John Daly lost $1.5 million after winning half that amount at the WGC-American Express tournament. He lost most of the money on a $5,000 Las Vegas slot machine at Wynn Casino.

2005: Second Place Finishes at WGC-American Express Championship and Shell Houston Open

In 2005, Daly tied with Tiger Woods at the WGC-American Express Championship but lost in a playoff. He also reached a playoff at the 2005 Shell Houston Open, losing to Vijay Singh.

2006: Launched Wine Label John Daly Wines

In 2006, Daly launched a wine label John Daly Wines that later went defunct.

2007: PGA Tour Season without Full Exempt Status

Daly entered the 2007 PGA Tour season without full exempt status for the first time since his 1991 PGA Championship victory.

2007: Provided Back-up Vocals in Kid Rock Song

In 2007, Daly provided back-up vocals in the Kid Rock song, "Half Your Age".

2008: Competed on the European Tour after suspension

After his 2008 suspension, Daly was forced to compete on the European Tour and underwent lap-band surgery to lose weight.

May 26, 2009: Return to PGA Tour via Sponsor's Exemption

On May 26, 2009, Daly announced his return to the PGA Tour via sponsor's exemption for the St. Jude Classic.

2009: Appearance in Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game series

In 2009, John Daly appeared in the Tiger Woods PGA Tour video game series.

April 2010: Released Second Music Album

In April 2010, Daly released his second music album called I Only Know One Way on Long Ball Records/Hopesong Digital/GMV Nashville. He wrote and co-wrote eight tracks on the album.

2010: Partnership with Oxygen Games for John Daly's Prostroke Golf

In 2010, John Daly partnered with publisher Oxygen Games for John Daly's Prostroke Golf for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. In the game, John Daly is both an instructor and an opponent for players across twelve courses modeled after real-world courses.

Xbox 360 250GB Slim Console - (Renewed)

Check it on Amazon

2012: Finished 18th place at PGA Championship

In 2012, Daly shot a score of 68 for the first round of the PGA Championship which was played at Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Daly finished 18th place in that tournament, which was the first time Daly had finished in the top 20 in a major championship since the Open in 2005.

December 6, 2014: Daly Won Beko Classic

On December 6, 2014, Daly won the Beko Classic, an event sanctioned by the PGAs of Europe, finishing at −15.

December 2014: Won the Beko Classic

In December 2014, Daly won the Beko Classic at Gloria Golf Club in Belek, Antalya, Turkey, an event sanctioned by the PGA of Europe.

2014: Signed Endorsement Deal with Rock Bottom Golf

In 2014, Daly signed an endorsement deal with Rock Bottom Golf, a discount golf retailer.

April 28, 2016: Turned 50 and Became Eligible for PGA Tour Champions

On April 28, 2016, Daly turned 50 and became eligible to play on the PGA Tour Champions.

2016: Competed on the PGA Tour Champions Circuit

Since 2016, John Daly has been competing on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

May 7, 2017: Won Insperity Invitational on PGA Tour Champions

On May 7, 2017, Daly won the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions after shooting 14-under par for the tournament.

2017: Insperity Invitational Win

In 2017, John Daly won the Insperity Invitational on the PGA Tour Champions circuit.

2022: Advocacy for Cannabis Legalization

In 2022, John Daly advocated for the legalization of cannabis in Arkansas, endorsing a ballot measure that he said would create "millions in new funding for our police, ... thousands of good jobs, [and] revenue for our state".

February 20, 2023: Relies on Sponsor Invitations

As of February 20, 2023, despite having $10,270,681 in career earnings, Daly relies on sponsor invitations (PGA Tour Exemption Category 11) as he is not among the top 50 on the PGA Tour's All-Time Career Money List.