John Daly may be one of the most popular figures in the game but things continue to go from bad to worse for him on the golf course.
The charismatic Daly, a two-time major champion, has played nine events on the PGA Tour Champions this season, with his best finish a tie for 27th at the American Family Insurance Championship back in June.
Aside from that, the 59-year-old has only been able to muster one other top-50 finish. The days of him competing at any level seem to be long gone.
Daly forged a reputation for himself on the PGA Tour through being the longest hitter in the game more than 30 years ago now.
He then cemented his status as one of the game’s best players by winning the PGA Championship in 1991 and The Open Championship four years later in 1995.
The five-time PGA Tour winner may not have been the most consistent of players, but he was definitely up there with the most talented, especially considering the issues he faced off the golf course.
However, the good times have been few and far between for Daly recently, and his problems continued in South Dakota on Friday.
Golf fans react after John Daly’s opening round 88 on the PGA Tour Champions
Daly teed it up this week on the PGA Tour Champions in the Sanford International at the Minnehaha Country Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
However, it was a round to forget for the man affectionately known as ‘The Wild Thing’.
He carded a round of 18-over par 88 to leave him dead last in the field of 78, with nine shots separating himself from 77th-placed Tom Lehman.
The 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 Open winner’s round descended into chaos after he made a 14-over par 19 on the par-five 12th hole at Minnehaha Country Club.
In response to Daly’s round of 88 on Friday, and specifically the 19 he carded on the 12th hole, many golf fans urged him to call time on his playing career.
One simply said: “Lol, he is just trolling at this point.“ While another made a great point, saying: “Time to retire unfortunately. Good run, but it’s been a disaster the last several years.“
That sentiment regarding what Daly should do next was supported by lots of others. With comments stating: “He’s become an embarrassment to himself and the game. Time to retire JD.“
And: “They need to cancel his membership. He’s nothing but a joke now.“
Others were equally insistent that Daly should just enjoy his life now rather than beating himself up on the golf course.
“Why is he even on senior tour? Hang them up,“ one fan exclaimed, while another said: “What was John Daly thinking? Last place isn’t so bad?“
Another fan chimed in with a realistic take on where Daly’s at right now: “Taking last place money & the sponsor dough on this one.“
Not the first time John Daly has blown up on a single hole
Daly is no stranger to making a huge number on a single hole.
He recorded an 18 on the par-five sixth hole at Bay Hill on the PGA Tour way back in 1998.
After his round, Daly explained how he ran up such a big number.
“I had the courage to keep going for it, but I didn’t have the wisdom to bail out right,” the two-time major champion said.
He also noted how he only had one ball left in his bag when he finally cleared the water on the dog-leg left par five at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge.
Daly clearly lacks the ability to tighten the reins and play safe when he needs to. He proved that in abundance on Friday at Minnehaha Country Club with the 19 he made on the 12th hole, but unfortunately for him, he will be used to posting big scores like that now.
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