{"id":503123,"date":"2026-02-25T12:33:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T12:33:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/503123\/"},"modified":"2026-02-25T12:33:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T12:33:09","slug":"john-daly-reveals-mount-rushmore-of-golf-tiger-woods-not-in-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/503123\/","title":{"rendered":"John Daly Reveals Mount Rushmore of Golf, Tiger Woods’ Not in It"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"John\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

John Daly Reveals Personal Mount Rushmore of Golf, Tiger Woods’ Not in It<\/p>\n

Tiger Woods<\/a> is on the Mount Rushmore of golf for most people involved in the sport, but not for John Daly. The legendary two\u2011time major champion\u2014known as much for his golfing prowess as for his easygoing style on and off the course\u2014has a personal \u201cBig Four\u201d selection that doesn\u2019t include the Big Cat.<\/p>\n

Daly himself revealed this in an interview with Hard Rock Bet<\/a>. His selection not only left out Woods but also included some names that few expected.<\/p>\n

John Daly\u2019s Mount Rushmore of Golf\"John<\/p>\n

GettyJohn Daly didn\u2019t pick Tiger Woods for his Mount Rushmore of Golf.<\/p>\n

Naturally, leaving Woods out doesn\u2019t diminish the fact that the four players Daly mentioned are among the biggest stars in golf history.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite was always (Jack) Nicklaus, Fuzzy Zoeller, (Tom) Watson, (Arnold) Palmer,\u201d Daly said<\/a>. \u201cThose were the four, that\u2019s the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Daly<\/a>\u2018s choice took into account both the golfing merits of his selected players and their qualities as people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been so great to me when I came on tour,\u201d he recalled. \u201cMeeting Jack, I was nervous because I learned how to play golf from Jack Nicklaus (referring to Nicklaus\u2019 Golf Digest instructional series from the 1970s).\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s how I learned how to play,\u201d Daly added. \u201cIt was a cartoon. Learned the grip, learned how to slice it, hook it, hit it straight, chip, and putt. And all because of Jack, he was a cartoon character in Golf Digest back then. And I think a lot of kids learn from him that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Merits of Daly\u2019s Picks<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt that Daly\u2019s Mount Rushmore of Golf is an incredibly strong selection. Between them, they amassed 201 professional victories, including 184 on the PGA Tour and 35 major championships.<\/p>\n

Nicklaus<\/a> is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time, thanks in large part to his 18 major championship titles. However, he also dominated the PGA Tour (73 titles, third all-time) and the Senior Tour, where he won 10 tournaments, eight of them majors. As if it wasn\u2019t enough, he completed the Career Grand Slam several times.<\/p>\n

Palmer is another of the PGA Tour\u2019s great icons. His 62 titles place him fifth on the all-time winning list for the circuit. He won seven majors, and the only leg of the Career Grand Slam he missed was the PGA Championship, where he finished second three times.<\/p>\n

Watson is ranked sixth in the all-time major championship wins list, with eight titles, surpassing legends like Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, and the aforementioned Palmer. Add to that feat that his 39 PGA Tour titles place him tied for 10th on the circuit\u2019s all-time list.<\/p>\n

As for Zoeller, he had a solid PGA Tour career, with 10 victories, including two major titles. He also achieved 11 top-10 finishes in major championships and 100 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour. On the American-based circuit, he finished second 19 times and third 13 times.<\/p>\n

The absence of Tiger Woods\"John<\/p>\n

GettyJohn Day faced Tiger Woods countless times in his career.<\/p>\n

Despite the aforementioned, Woods\u2019 absence is striking, as he is practically a unanimous selection for these kinds of events. It\u2019s not just his 82 PGA Tour titles (tied for first place all time) and his 15 major titles (second all time). Woods represented a true revolution in world golf at the turn of the 21st century, so his name is firmly rooted in the collective memory of fans, even the youngest who didn\u2019t witness his prime.<\/p>\n

However, let\u2019s not forget that every selection is somewhat like the person who makes it. Daly\u2019s is emotional and daring, just like him, which is ultimately what makes him an icon.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tJulio Valdera<\/a> Julio Valdera is a sports writer specializing in golf coverage for Heavy Sports. He has reported on the sport across major international tours, delivering breaking news, event analysis, and player-focused storytelling. Before joining Heavy, he covered golf for Newsweek and Sportskeeda, building a reputation for clear, engaging reporting and a strong command of the game\u2019s competitive landscape. His broader journalism experience spans technology, politics, and international events. More about Julio Valdera<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Golf\n\t\t<\/p>\n

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