It was 1997 when John Daly first made headlines for the wrong reasons at a tournament. He walked off the course mid-round after a series of poor shots and personal frustrations. Nearly three decades later, that pattern of self-destruction continues to define his career.

Fast forward to September 13, 2025, and Daly delivered his most spectacular disaster yet. He carded a record-breaking 19 on the par-5 12th hole at the Sanford International. Seven consecutive shots found penalty areas. His tee shot landed in the rough, then chaos followed.

The connection between alcohol and this latest meltdown runs deeper than coincidence. Back in 1999, Daly made a chilling admission that haunts every poor performance. “It’s in my blood,” he declared after losing his Callaway sponsorship for refusing rehab. He chose drinking over sobriety because golf was his talent.

Moreover, Daly has consistently claimed that alcohol enhanced his abilities. “I played my best golf drunk,” he stated in interviews. He described making “every 20-footer” while “barefooted drunk.” This twisted logic contradicts sports science, yet Daly believed it throughout his career.

Furthermore, his recent health struggles compound the problem. He’s undergone 16 surgeries in four years, including emergency hand surgery in January 2025. Additionally, doctors warned him about his bladder cancer potentially returning if he doesn’t change his lifestyle. Despite medical warnings, Daly continues his relationship with alcohol.

The pattern emerges clearly when examining his career trajectory. His 1997 Congressional walkout occurred during his third tournament back from alcohol rehabilitation. Physical and mental fatigue overwhelmed him after just 27 holes. Meanwhile, two months earlier, he had destroyed his hotel room during a drinking binge at The Players Championship.

Therefore, Friday’s 19-stroke disaster fits the historical narrative perfectly. His body faces decades of accumulated damage while his mind still battles demons from age eight. Daly started drinking at eight years old and was hospitalized four times for alcohol poisoning between 1989 and 1993.

John Daly fan reactions reveal golf community’s complex relationship

Interestingly, fan reactions to Daly’s historic meltdown revealed the golf community’s complicated feelings about their troubled star. Social media exploded with responses ranging from empathy to brutal criticism about his drinking habits.

“John is just trying to get to Grand Falls Casino as quickly as possible!” wrote one fan, cutting straight to the heart of his gambling addiction. Another added dark humor about his substance issues: “Hahaha he had three clubs and one ball for the last 6 holes.”

Subsequently, fans began speculating about alcohol’s role in the disaster. “Had he ran out of cigarettes & alcohol by then?” one person questioned. Others offered sardonic explanations: “Not enough beer” and “And only 8 beers” suggested his performance suffered from insufficient alcohol consumption.

Additionally, some fans expressed admiration despite the chaos. “Honestly, going par, par, birdie after a 19 is impressive tho. I would have been so defeated,” one comment read. Another particularly brutal joke emerged about the hole’s length: “You could down a bottle of vodka on the 12th tee box and be sober by the 13th.”

Meanwhile, one fan offered the most damning assessment: “To be fair, he was probably out of booze by the 12th and it had a detrimental effect on his swing.” Another cynical observer joked, “JD was overheard leaving the bar saying, Venmo me if either of my birds hold up for a skin.”

These reactions reveal why Daly faces criticism despite his loyal fanbase. Fans simultaneously mock and enable his drinking while recognizing the tragic cost of addiction.

Daly’s latest record highlights how addiction continues to control his story. The 59-year-old faces mounting criticism as every round becomes a battle against demons that have followed him from tee to green for nearly four decades.