John Daly drove through the night in 1991 to reach Crooked Stick without a practice round – then won the PGA Championship.
His son just walked onto a PGA Tour course for the first time.
What John Daly II put on the scoreboard in Puerto Rico is something most Tour pros couldn't explain.
John Daly II Opens the Puerto Rico Open With Something Nobody Expected
The 22-year-old Arkansas senior earned a sponsor's exemption into the Puerto Rico Open at Grand Reserve Golf Club, and he did not look like a rookie.
Daly carded a 2-under 70 in his opening round – sitting inside the top 25 heading into Friday's second round.
Here is the part that stops you cold.
He hit two greens in regulation all day.
Two.
The average Tour pro hits eleven or twelve.
Most amateurs making their Tour debut and hitting two greens are signing for a 76 and driving to the airport.
Daly signed for a 70.
Three birdies, two bogeys on the back nine, a chip-in on 16, and enough scrambling to make the caddies watching from other groups pay attention.
"Got off to a good start, made a nice birdie on 1," Daly said after the round. "Feel like I left a few out there, but I made it up with just a couple good saves and nice chip-in on 16."
When asked what he planned to do with the rest of his afternoon, Daly answered like a Daly.
"I would say I'd go hit balls, but I'm a little tired, so I'm just probably going to go to the beach and probably do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day."
Long John raised him right.
How the Son of John Daly Became One of Amateur Golf's Best Players
People will spend this week talking about the bloodline.
That misses the story.
John Daly II – called "LJ" by friends and family – spent three quiet seasons at Arkansas before the game clicked.
Last summer it clicked hard.
He won the 2025 Southern Amateur Championship at The Blessings Golf Club by five shots, posting rounds of 70-71-69-68.
He was the only player in the 156-man field to shoot under par in every single round.
His name now sits on the George W. Adair Trophy alongside Bobby Jones, Justin Leonard, and Webb Simpson.
He followed that by reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur and earning a Ben Hogan Award finalist nod.
None of that came from his last name.
The father the world knows – two majors, the mullet, the cigarette dangling off his lip, recording country albums with Willie Nelson – kept his advice simple heading into this week.
"My dad never puts pressure on me," LJ said. "He just wants me to have fun and be myself."
What His Round at Grand Reserve Golf Club Actually Tells You
Forget the legacy angle for a second.
Two greens in regulation and 2-under is not a heartwarming story.
It is a skill set.
Every great scrambler in Tour history – guys who built careers out of making something from nothing – started somewhere.
Daly is ranked 54th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
He just walked onto a PGA Tour course for the first time, hit almost nothing straight, and outscored the majority of the field anyway.
His father won the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth alternate, without even a practice round.
They also teamed up to win the 2021 PNC Championship with an event-record 27-under – beating Tiger and Charlie Woods by two shots.
The Daly DNA does not panic when things go sideways.
The Tour has a second Daly problem – and this one is just getting started.
Sources:
- Mark Harris, "John Daly's Son Makes PGA Tour Debut With Strong Opening Round, Shares Epic Plans," OutKick, March 5, 2026.
- "John Daly II set to make first PGA Tour appearance in Puerto Rico," Whole Hog Sports, March 4, 2026.
- "John Daly II Captures the 119th Southern Amateur Title," Southern Golf Association, July 19, 2025.
- "John Daly II," Arkansas Razorbacks Official Athletics, 2025.
- "Son of major champion to make PGA Tour debut at Puerto Rico Open," Golf Magic, March 2026.
