Once John Daly Withdrew From a PGA Tour Event Due to an Unusual Reason

Published 06/20/2022, 10:30 AM EDT

John Daly is considered one of the most popular golfers in America. His shocking victory at the 1991 PGA Championship and long drives have made him gain fame. On the contrary, he is infamous for his drinking and gambling habits. However, did you know that he had to withdraw from a PGA Tour championship after getting drunk?

The incident happened during the 1997 PLAYERS Championship when Daly used to be one of the best golfers on the Tour. He had won two majors by this time and was named the longest hitter.

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According to reports, the golfer had a long drinking session in the nightspot ‘Sloppy Joe’ on a Thursday night. Known for his passion for singing, Daly even sang with the band and even praised the ‘Jacksonville Jaguars’ football team.

Although he went to his hotel room, he was soon hospitalized due to chest pain. The 2-time major winner had caused more than $1000 damage in the room by then. Following the incident, he had to withdraw from the event.

The after-effect of the incident

Apart from money loss for damaging the hotel room, the incident caused him to lose sponsors. The brand, Wilson Sport, was one of them. Furthermore, the golfer joined a rehabilitation center to take care of his drinking problem. Notably, Daly had joined another program in 1993, following which he admitted he started drinking socially.

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Although the golfer completed his rehabilitation program in 1997, most of his sponsors had left him by then. However, Callaway Golf decided to give him a deal on the condition that he would never drink or gamble again.

Did John Daly stop drinking after 1997?

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Although it is not clear when he relapsed, Daly went back to drinking and gambling two years after he withdrew from the PLAYERS Championship. Furthermore, he refused to take more help from the professionals, which caused Callaway to break ties with him.

Notably, the golfer lost $3 million worth of Callaway contract by refusing professional help for the third time. “My commitment to live a sober life remains strong,” Daly revealed through a statement on his website. Additionally, he added, “I accept the difficulties presented and hope that I will overcome whatever obstacles I face.”

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However, a couple of days after releasing the statement, Daly revealed that drinking is a part of his life. He also added that he needs to drink to play golf. John Daly considers drinking equal to his passion for golf. And thus, he doesn’t regret any of his choices.

Watch This Story: John Daly Gets Emotional While Talking About the Biggest Loss of His Life

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Written by:

Anjana Prabhakaran is a Golf content writer at EssentiallySports. She has completed her Master's degree in Public Administration and considers researching as one of her hobbies. As her family is interested in sports, Anjana grew up watching every sport on television.

Edited by:

Jito Tenson

Once John Daly Withdrew From a PGA Tour Event Due to an Unusual Reason

The after-effect of the incident

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Did John Daly stop drinking after 1997?