John Daly's worrying health update as he skips PGA Championship: ‘Waking up is a win for me'
Playing fast and loose has taken its toll on John Daly's health.
A 16th surgery earlier this year, this one an 'emergency' on his hand, and bladder cancer has not deterred the 59-year-old, however, as alarming as his health situation may be.
'I'm like Lazarus — I keep coming back from the dead,' Daly said. 'Waking up is a win for me.'
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Daly is still determined to play on the senior PGA Tour Champions circuit, even skipping next week's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow to play on PGA Tour Champions' first major of the year, The Tradition in Birmingham, Ala.
3 John Daly after undergoing surgery in January 2025.
Instagram/John Daly
The 1991 PGA Championship winner does not understand why the two majors were scheduled for the same week, however.
'I can go there and miss the cut and get $6,000,' Daly said of the PGA Championship, which last year paid $4,000 to players who missed the cut. '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?'
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May typically is crowded for golf and the Regions Traditions didn't want to take this week because it's tough getting support on Mother's Day. The week after the PGA Championship is the Senior PGA Championship at Congressional.
Going earlier was tough with NASCAR at Talladega on April 27.
Daly also is not in top form after surgery on his left hand in January. He said his biggest issue remains getting through the ball on three-quarter shots — that and his putting. He finished at 27-over par last week at the Insperity Invitational, a tournament he won in 2017 and was runner-up in 2020.
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3 John Daly watches his tee shot on 12 during the second round of the PGA Champions Insperity Invitational at The Woodlands Country Club on May 3, 2025.
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Daly isn't the only former PGA champion missing next week.
Rich Beem, who took down Tiger Woods at Hazeltine in 2002, chose not to play this year after a rough go at Valhalla last year. Beem now works for Sky Sports at the big events and felt he didn't have enough time to prepare this year for a lengthy course. Quail Hollow is 7,262 yards and plays as a par 71.
Among those who did not withdraw, Beem finished last at plus-20.
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'I got my (butt) handed to me last year,' he said. 'Even though I had success at Bethpage (2019), you lose 10 yards, you might as well lose 100.'
He said he plans on skipping Aronimink next year but will return to the PGA Championship in 2027 in his home state of Texas, where he hopes dry and firm conditions will help.
3 John Daly
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Davis Love III (recovering from heart surgery) and Y.E. Yang also are not in the PGA Championship next week.
— With AP
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