Three decades ago, John Daly burst onto the golf scene with a swing as wild as his personality. The bad boy won two majors, captivated crowds and rewrote the rules of what a fan favorite could look like. Now, it’s his son, John Daly II, making headlines.
On Wednesday at The Olympic Club, Daly II advanced to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur Championship, delivering a composed 1-up victory over Cooper Claycomb in match play.
The senior-to-be at the University of Arkansas won the 11th hole with a birdie and halved the remaining 17 holes, his scorecard a stark contrast to the flamboyant flair his father once brought to the game.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 18: John Daly of the United States and son Little John Daly Jr. of the United States look on from the 12th green during the final round of the PNC Championship…
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 18: John Daly of the United States and son Little John Daly Jr. of the United States look on from the 12th green during the final round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 18, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
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“All the putts I missed short, I hit the lines exactly where I wanted,” Daly told reporters post-round, as reported by USGA. “The one on 6, it was a 360 lip-out. There’s nothing you can do about that.”
He added, “It stinks that I had to play Cooper. He’s one of my good friends, but it was a fun match.”
Back home, John Daly Sr. was watching closely. The two-time major winner posted a proud message on his Instagram story, typing, “LFG! My Boy!!”
Unlike his father’s “wild thing” reputation, Daly II’s scorecard was a model of consistency of pars on Wednesday. His performance stood out in a field stacked with elite talent.
Five of the top 10 amateurs in the world also advanced on Wednesday
World No. 1 Jackson Koivun of Auburn birdied the par-5 17th to close out Ryan Vools. No. 2 Ben James, a senior at Virginia, defeated Parker Claxton 2-and-1. Fourth-ranked Preston Stout cruised past Pennson Badgett 4-and-3.
But not all top seeds survived. No. 6 Tommy Morrison of Texas lost in extra holes to 18-year-old Mason Howell after a bogey on 17 and a double bogey on the 19th. No. 5 Filip Jakubcik fell to Eric Lee in 19 holes.
Other top-10 players to advance included Jace Summy (No. 7) and Christiaan Maas (No. 9). Germany’s Tim Wiedenmeyer staged the biggest comeback, winning his final four holes to defeat Reed Greyserman 2-and-1.
In one of the day’s most dramatic matches, Niall Shiels Donegan, son of longtime Guardian golf writer Lawrence Donegan, birdied the final two holes to beat Luke Poulter, son of Ryder Cup veteran Ian Poulter, 1-up. Donegan had earlier survived a 20-for-17 playoff to earn his spot in match play.
As for Daly II, he teed off the Round of 32 on Thursday at 11:42 a.m. ET.
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