Every year that the PGA Championship rolls around, the question that is asked the most often revolves around golf’s most colorful character: will John Daly tee it up?
When a player wins the PGA Championship, they are exempt to play in the tournament for life (much like The Masters). John Daly won the major tournament all the way back in 1991, and it was quite the unlikely story that helped propel him into the spotlight.
If you aren’t familiar, Daly was the ninth and final alternate for the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indiana. What does that mean? Well, he wasn’t supposed to be in the field of competition, and needed someone to drop out of the tournament – and then the eight other golfers in front of him on the alternate list to not be able to play either.
Somehow that happened, and John Daly went from ninth alternate to PGA Champion in a matter of days. And he had just joined the PGA Tour earlier that year, so the whole, “Where did this long drive hitter come from?” nature of the story only helped to bolster his lore.
Because he won in 1991, Daly has been invited back to every PGA Championship since then. While he hasn’t faired all that well competitively in recent years, the 59-year-old has always made the trip to the PGA when he’s been able to. Which begs the question… will the loud-mouthed, beer-drinking John Daly be making an appearance at the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina this weekend?
Unfortunately, he will not be.
Daly cited a couple of reasons why he won’t be able to tee it up at Quail Hollow with some of the world’s best golfers. One of the big, contributing factors to his absence at the PGA Championship is his health. In January, he had surgery on his left hand, which he says has hurt him when it comes to shots that require more touch – and putting. He’s also still in remission after being diagnosed with – and beating – bladder cancer.
When he was asked about his recent health issues, he replied with this:
“I didn’t think I’d been out here for three decades. I’ve only been dead 11 times. I’m like Lazarus. I just keep coming back from the dead.”
The other reason that he won’t be playing in the PGA Championship is because the tournament – which runs from May 15 through May 18 – directly conflicts with a tournament scheduled on the PGA Champions Tour. That tour is specifically for golfers over the age of 50, and it’s the one that Daly has been the most loyal to in recent years.
That being said, Daly did voice some frustration about having to choose between the two events (he’ll be playing in the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Alabama). As he pointed out, last year, players that missed the cut at the PGA Championship were still paid $4,000. This year, that pay day was going to go up a couple of thousand:
“I can go there and miss the cut and get $6,000. But I’m playing Birmingham. I love Regions. They’re a great sponsor. But why are they scheduling Regions the same week as the PGA Championship, where I can see Brooks (Koepka) and all the guys.”
For those that aren’t familiar with golf tournaments, that means someone could play the first two days of the tournament, get cut (or sent home) because they didn’t play well enough, and still get paid $6,000. There’s a lot more cash to go around if you make the cut – or even win – but that’s not a bad paycheck for a couple of mediocre days of golf.
I very much wish I could tune into the 2025 PGA Championship and see John Daly hacking it around in some bright-colored pants, but I suppose all of us John Daly fans will have to wait until 2026 to see if the Diet-Coke-guzzling golfer tees it up in one of golf’s biggest major events.
He’s always the ultimate entertainer on the golf course:
