John Daly looked set to go into 1992 still awaiting his first major championship appearance of the decade as the final months of the 1991 season loomed.
John Daly had twice played in the US Open in the 1980s. But as Glory’s Last Shot approached 25 years ago, Daly seemed to have little chance of even teeing it up at Crooked Stick in Indiana.
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He began the week of the PGA Championship as the ninth alternate. What followed was one of the most remarkable chain of events in golfing history.
The note Jack Nicklaus left for John Daly before the final round of the 1991 PGA Championship
Daly led after the second and third rounds. In fact, with 18 holes to play, Daly – who had not previously won on the PGA Tour – was three shots clear.
The American had already missed 11 cuts in 1991, including in both of his final two starts before the last major of the year.
But Daly went on to win by three. He even had enough breathing space to make a double bogey on the 71st hole.
As he told Graham Bensinger in 2024, Daly seemed to benefit from his low expectations for the week – while Jack Nicklaus also played a role in encouraging him across the line.
“I knew I was ninth alternate as of Monday, I think. As of Wednesday, I was second or third. I think I had to do something real close to Crooked Stick the week after, and so I thought I’ll just drive up, you never know. So when I got in, it was like two o’clock in the morning, Thursday morning, and there was a message on the hotel line saying that you’ve got Nick Price’s spot. You’ll tee off at 12 something, congratulations, welcome to the 1991 Crooked Stick PGA Championship,” he said.
“I think it was Sunday morning, I go to my locker and there was a note there, ‘go get ‘em’, from Jack Nicklaus.
“That week was such a blur, I didn’t get a practice round in around the course. The good thing about me going in the PGA that year was I’d already secured my card for next year. That was the goal. I went out there and just played the golf course, and just had a blast playing it.”
The incredible gesture John Daly made after a tragic incident at Crooked Stick
Daly is a unique figure in the game. He has the nickname Wild Thing for a reason. But he deserves so much credit for an incredible gesture following a tragic incident during the first round that week.
Unfortunately, a fan died after being struck by lightning. Daly went on to donate $30,000 of his winnings to a college fund for the spectator’s two daughters.
As reported by ESPN in 2021, Daly kept the gesture quiet. He was initially reluctant to try and keep in contact amid concerns that it would bring up bad memories for the family.
However, they reached out to Daly in 2005 and have subsequently stayed in touch.
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