John Daly (golfer)
A golfing tornado who smashed convention with colossal drives, a blue-collar spirit, and two unforgettable, against-all-odds major victories.
Born 1966 (age 60)·American professional golfer·Birthday: April 28·Generation X
Biography
In 1991, John Daly drove through the night as the ninth alternate for the PGA Championship, arriving without a practice round. He overpowered the field to win the title, capturing the public's imagination with his 'grip-it-and-rip-it' philosophy and everyman persona. He wore loud pants, chain-smoked, and drank diet soda, rebelling against golf's country-club stuffiness. His 1995 Open Championship win at St. Andrews showed he could conquer the game's most hallowed ground. A life of personal turbulence and dramatic on-course swings deepened his connection with fans, who saw a raw, unfiltered talent battling his demons in the spotlight.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
John was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When John Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
John's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth alternate, having almost not gotten into the tournament, in one of golf's greatest Cinderella stories.
- Captured the 1995 Open Championship at St. Andrews, outlasting Costantino Rocca in a playoff.
- Noted for being one of the longest drivers in golf history, routinely leading the PGA Tour in driving distance.
- His autobiography, 'My Life In and Out of the Rough,' was a New York Times bestseller.
Did You Know?
His signature beverage on the course was originally Diet Coke, but he later had a sponsorship deal with a beer company.
Daly is an accomplished country music singer and has released several albums, collaborating with stars like Willie Nelson.
He lost over $50 million in gambling over a period of years, as detailed in his autobiography.
He often used a 3-wood or driver for extremely short approach shots, a tactic unheard of for other professionals.
“I'm not here to be a role model. I'm here to play golf and have fun.”
