Are the Daly’s making a return to the biggest stages in golf? Following in his father’s footsteps, John Daly II is also trying to break through the ranks and find his way in the sport. The 21-year-old already had 4 top-10 finishes this year before he stepped onto the Wannamoisett Country Club. And now, after 4 rounds of difficult challenges, John Daly‘s son has a third-place finish under his belt. However, this could have very well been the 6th amateur title of his career.

John Daly posted a story proudly sharing a picture of his son with a caption, “That’s my boy.” The golf legend was happy to see his son finish 3rd in the Northeast Amateur Invitational Golf Tournament. The amateur event featured top young golfers like Tyler Watts, Miles Russell, who finished 2nd, and the winner, Preston Stout. Interestingly, Charlie Woods was also sent an invitation to the event. However, he was not on the field for the tournament. Perhaps he needs to spend some time with the Dalys eating some “mashed potatoes and meat.”. That might have given him the energy to play another tournament.

Coming back to John Daly II, he is currently ranked 474th in the world. This was a big win for him, even if he didn’t lift the title as he looks to rise up the rankings. His best World Amateur Golf Ranking was 395th, and he will need to improve on that a lot if he wants to get noticed by the top Tours. Moreover, John Jr. hasn’t won an amateur tournament since 2021. So he needs to bag a win after the momentum he has gained from the close finish in the 2025 Northeast Amateur Invitational Golf Tournament at Rhode Island.

Reviewing his performance, after 72 holes, John Daly II managed to finish on par 276, 1 stroke behind Russell and 9 behind a dominant Stout. He had a flawless first round with 5 birdies to score 5-under par 64. However, 3 bogeys in the first 7 holes only allowed him to score -1. The mistakes continued in the third and fourth rounds with scores of 71-73 to push him back on par and 1 stroke under the world no. 28, Russell. Had Daly II not made so many mistakes over the weekend, then he would have provided tough competition for Stout to maintain his lead.

Despite a disappointing loss, John Daly II has a lot of positives to take from his tournament. Finishing third in an event that has seen many big names win is no easy feat. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous golfers who have won the Northeast Amateur Invitational Golf Tournament in the past.

John Daly II nearly wins a title many PGA Tour pros have captured

The Northeast Amateur Invitational Golf Tournament has seen big champions in the past. In 2023, Nick Dunlap captured the title on his way to receiving his PGA Tour card. He ended up having a spectacular 2024, getting 2 record-breaking wins in the PGA Tour season. Collin Morikawa also managed to win the tournament back in 2017. The two-time major winner is one of the best golfers in the world today.

LIV Golf pros Peter Uihlein, Dustin Johnson, and Anthony Kim have also won the title in 2011, 2007, and 2004, respectively. Alternatively, Team Europe captain for the 2025 Ryder Cup, Luke Donald, captured the Northeast Amateur Invitational Golf Tournament title for two consecutive seasons in 2000 and 2001. Amateur golf legend, late Jay Sigel, had also won the tournament thrice in his career. For John Daly II to join this list would have been quite prestigious. Having said that, he still has a long career ahead of him and many more opportunities to match other feats.