John Daly II rides hot putter into Round of 32 in U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club

USA Today

3 days ago

(Editor's note: Golfweek's Cameron Jourdan is following all the action from Olympic Club. Check out his updates from the Round of 64 here.)
SAN FRANCISCO — Standing on the green of the par-3 third hole at Olympic Club, John Daly II pivoted toward the official on the back of the green.
In the U.S. Amateur Round of 64 on Wednesday, Daly was facing off against good friend Cooper Claycomb, who hit his shot from the greenside bunker to a foot. It was the first time the friends had made match play at the biggest amateur championship in the world, and Daly wanted to clarify he could touch Claycomb's ball after conceding the putt.
"We're both just kind of new to the whole thing," Daly, the son of two-time major winner John Daly, said. "We're like, curious were we allowed to pick up balls and throw them back to each other if they were good. It was fun."
Daly, a day after shooting 67 to get into match play, topped Claycomb 1 up to advance to the Round of 32 on Thursday morning. The match was tight throughout, with Daly winning the par-3 11th with a birdie. It was the only hole either player won on the day.
Advancing in match play at the U.S. Amateur will be no surprise to those who follow amateur golf. Earlier this spring, Daly, a rising senior at Arkansas, won his first collegiate title at the Columbia Spring Invitational, where he went 6 under in the final five holes to win. Then at the Southern Amateur, hosted at Arkansas' home course Blessings, Daly captured one of the biggest amateur titles of the summer.
On Tuesday, his 67 was one of the best scores of the day, and he earned the 26th seed for match play. Now, he's one of 32 players left standing at Olympic Club.
"Today I hit a lot of good putts," Daly said, "and they go in, and a couple putts that were, like, just big to keep my confidence going. The first few days, my putting saved me. I wasn't driving that good at all, and I just grinded."
Daly making a run in San Francisco is fitting. The road immediately to the south of Olympic Club is John Daly Boulevard, named after businessman John Daly, who opened the first bank in San Francisco, and Daly City is named after him.
Back on the golf course, Daly said the breakthrough in his game is thanks to his work with his wedges, specifically from 120 yards and in.
Aside from the hole he won, the highlight of the day came when he drove the green on the par-4 seventh, measuring at 296 yards in the Round of 64. His ball landed 5 feet over the pin and he two-putted for birdie. His father famously drove the green in the 1998 U.S. Open, with the USGA posting video of Daly trying to recreate the shot in the practice round.
Dad isn't on site this week — "I'll probably call him when I'm done here," Daly said post round — but there are rumors he could find his way to the Bay Area if Little John keeps on playing well.
The duo won the 2021 PNC Championship, and Daly has slowly risen to become one of the top players at Arkansas as he has aged. Now, he's playing the best golf of his career, and people are taking notice.
About 100 people were following him when he started his round. On the 18th hole, there were about 200 surrounding the green, many fans pouncing on him for autographs and pictures after he won the hole and ascended the hill toward the clubhouse.
His plan for the afternoon? "I'm about to go put on some Normatec boots in the locker room, which is clutch, and I might get in the hot tub."
Sounds like a relaxing afternoon.