John Daly Has Made and Lost Millions as a Professional Golfer

Debuting in 1987, John Daly has been a face on the PGA Tour for quite some time. There is no doubt that being a professional athlete can bring tremendous wealth, but how much? How has golfing impacted Daly's net worth?

Given the nickname "Long John" for his driving distance off the tee, Daly is a force in the golfing world. Whether teeing off on the green, managing his golf partnership with Loudmouth Golf, or making music, Daly is always busy — and making money. Here's a look at how much Daly has made from golfing and why his net worth is a bit lower than expected.

Daly moved around frequently with his father and mother Jim and Lou Daly as well as his brother and sisters. His family relocated from California to Arkansas when Daly was 4 years old. By the time Daly was 5 years old, he had already developed an interest in golf. When his family relocated to Virginia, he won his golf championship at the age of 13. After Daly graduated from Helias High School in Missouri, he attended the University of Arkansas on a golf scholarship from 1984 to 1987.

He was able to qualify for the U.S. Open in 1986. Daly eventually left college without completing his degree and in the summer of 1987, he went pro with his first victory in the Missouri Open. In the early '90s, Daly made waves in golfing attending Ben Hogan Tour, Sunshine Tour, Ben Hogan Utah Classic, and landing space at the 1990 PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament. He finished at T-12 and earned PGA Tour privileges in 1991.

Although Daly has a long history of success in his golfing career, it hasn't been without struggles. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Daly's performance started to falter as he dealt with drinking issues. At the U.S. Open in 1996, Daly finished T-27. The following year he withdrew from the U.S. Open citing issues with his health as a result of his drinking. According to reports, he started attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

Despite the hiccups Daly has and continues to experience in his career, he still has an estimated net worth worth $2 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth. Of course, without the reported gambling problems and multiple divorces, Daly's net worth would likely be higher.

In 2022, Daly released a music album entitled Whiskey and Water, which features guests such as Willie Nelson. This is his third album. His other albums are "My Life" and "I Only Know One Way." All of his music is in the genre of dance/electronic and folk. He has authored several books entitled My Life in and out of the Rough, Golf My Own Damn Way: Wit and Wisdom of John Daly, and Grip It and Rip It.

Although Daly has been diagnosed with bladder cancer and has experienced shoulder injuries, his golf career continues. In 2022, Daly was ranked 57th in the Champions Tour. Commenting on playing with his shoulder injury, he stated, "It's separated. I just play with it separated, that's how I get a nice cut out there. I just don't hit it anywhere anymore. Sometimes it will pop back into place and I have to pop it back out.

While Daly has proven to be resilient to injuries, in October 2022, he suffered a knee injury that required surgery to repair the damage.