"A lot of people gave up on me" - When John Daly silenced critics with a long-awaited victory

It was September of 2001 when John Daly, the American golfer, ended his six-year drought at the BMW International Open. People, mainly critics, had already given up on him, but Daly was determined to prove everyone wrong, which is why this victory remains special in his career.

After winning one of the most important European Tour tournaments, Daly said, via Golf Week:

“I’m sure a lot of people gave up on me, but I hadn’t,” said Daly, who won for the first time in six turbulent years. “I’m a fighter.”

Prior to this tournament, Daly had played 151 events on the PGA Tour and PGA European Tour over six years without a single win. For many, it looked tough for him to make a comeback, and some believed he might never win again.

Probably, some emotional reasons also contributed to John Daly’s struggles during those years. After winning the 1995 British Open—his second major—his third marriage ended, and later, a two-year relationship also came to a sad end. A month later, Daly married for the fourth time. That’s why he further added:

“I have a great wife, a great family, and friends I trust with my life, but this one I did by myself.”

During those testing times, both in life and his career, John Daly also quit drinking and replaced it with his passion for playing golf. That is why he gave the bottle of champagne he received for winning the 2001 BMW International Open to journalists.

A dream final day for John Daly at the 2001 BMW International Open in Munich

Going into the final day, John Daly was one stroke behind Padraig Harrington. By the time the final hole arrived, they were tied. The atmosphere around the 18th tee was a bit tense. Harrington tried to reach the 18th par-5 hole with his second shot, but unfortunately, his ball landed in the water three times, creating an opportunity for Daly.

While this happened, Daly was just off the green and scored a two-foot birdie, securing his first tournament victory in six years. With this win, he claimed the first prize of $272,610, the largest prize money he had ever won. After the tournament, Daly shared his happiness, saying, via Golf Week:

“It’s been six long years, and it just feels good to win again. I think 1999 was probably the low point... I had to decide whether to keep going forward or do something else. It was a very short thought because I wanted to keep playing golf. That’s when I started practicing a lot more and being more focused on trying to turn it around.”

Renowned for his colorful attire on the golf course, John Daly has played 548 events and has five PGA Tour wins under his belt, according to the PGA Tour. He also has four runner-up finishes, and three third-place finishes, along with 23 top-5 and 35 top-10 finishes on the tour.

Since joining the tour in 1991, John Daly has earned $10,270,681 in official prize money.