When you’re locked in on a win that sits inches away, the last thing you’d need is a frenzy. But if your playing partners happen to be the Dalys, those expectations usually go out of the window. At least, that’s what we fans think. But not Matt Kuchar.

Winning the PNC Championship with his son, Kuchar found himself alongside John Daly and John Daly II in the final round. The grouping could have looked chaotic, but Kuchar had a different takeaway. “Dalys were so nice to play with…I know [it] always seems like you’re going to play with the Dalys and there’s going to be some sideshow stuff going on…They are awfully nice to play with.”

Matt Kuchar’s reference to the “sideshow” is notable. Very few figures in modern golf history carry the charisma and a gallery of fans. Tiger Woods indeed is one of them, but his absence deprived us of such a spectacle. Nonetheless, it was Daly senior who compensated for that. In fact, even in this event, he was caught smoking on the course, raising questions of a potential penalty.

Yet to the Kuchars, having the Dalys on the side is never a setback.

“Any time we’ve been paired with them, they are always sweethearts of people,” Matt Kuchar says. “We always have a great time. They couldn’t be more encouraging.”

Matt Kuchar’s defence might also cut through because of Daly’s turbulent past. By almost any metric, John Daly is one of the most controversial figures golf has ever produced. The stacks of cases and panelties on him are proof of that.

Daly has overall accumulated five PGA Tour suspensions, a staggering number! He has been slapped with fines several times, which exceed $100k. All of this is accompanied by seven mandated stints in alcohol counselling or rehab and 11 citations for unbecoming conduct.

The most famous stretch comes during ’94, when Daly literally got into a physical fight with Jeff Roth‘s father over some objections. Fans had to rush in to separate the two, and the PGA Tour fined him with $13,000. These were followed by incidents like breaking clubs, blunt statements, and threwing putter into water hazards.

No wonder fans love to surround John Daly whenever he’s teeing off.

Against all these backdrops, Matt Kuchar’s comment holds a certain significance. The two family have previously crossed paths in the same event. In 2021, it was the Dalys who won the Championship. The result was outright, just like this time. They shot a record 27-under par and edged out Tiger Woods and son, Charlie Woods. Kuchars, at the time, were part of the same field, securing a seventh position.

“Any time we’ve been paired with them, they are always sweethearts of people,” Matt Kuchar said in his post-win presser. “We always have a great time. They couldn’t be more encouraging.”

Several years back, fans would have had a hard time believing such words. But today it holds the truth. Such a sudden shift, apparently, has a reason behind it.

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The other Daly

Perhaps the most important reason for John Daly’s new persona lies with his son. John Daly II, 22-years old now, is a senior at the University of Arkansas, the same place where his dad went. Yet, he couldn’t be more different than him.

John Daly II projects a sense of calm. Under pressure, he’s never faltered or lost control. That’s the reason why he could stack up multiple victories this year. These included a win at the Columbia Invitational and the Southern Amateur Championship. He also successfully reached the quarterfinals of the US amateur, but unfortunately lost to the event’s eventual winner, Mason Howell.

Further, Daly II has led his Arkansas Razorbacks in scoring this season with a 72.21 average. He also earned the SEC Co-Golfer of the Week honors.

“My attitude has gotten a little better and just not really caring,” Daly II said earlier, a few days back. “At the end of the day, golf doesn’t define me. Just happy to be able to play every day and go out there and have fun.”

This philosophy sits in contrast with his father’s perfectionism, which once drove him to self-destruction. Now that his son is growing up under his shadow, Daly has reshaped his behavior. He is his son’s favorite cheerleader, and if he wants to set an example for him, Daly needs to let go of his past antics. Which, if one believes Matt Kuchar, he has already done.