"Coach just wanted me to lose the weight" - When John Daly revealed Phil Mickelson’s agent’s role in his controversial habit 

John Daly is widely known in the golf industry for his smoking and drinking habits. The American golfer was spotted smoking even during his games, and he once talked about it in his interviews.

Back in 2016, in an interview with Graham Bensinger, Daly opened up about his smoking habits. He revealed that he was introduced to it by his college coach, Steve Loy, who is Phil Mickelson's agent.

In the interview, the host asked him if his college coach was the one who "started" him smoking. In response, Daly said:

"Yeah, he used to smoke Marlboro Lights, and he said, ‘Just start smoking. Here, have a cigarette—do whatever you’ve got to do to keep the weight off.’"

The two-time major winner further revealed that his coach just wanted him to lose weight, adding:

"Back in ’84, smoking wasn’t talked about like it is now. And honestly, I think Coach just wanted me to lose the weight and keep it off. He was a tough, tough coach. Some of the things he did were good, some were bad—like any other coach. But I wanted to play for the University of Arkansas, I wanted to play for the Hogs, and I was willing to do whatever it took. I didn’t care how I had to do it."

John Daly worked with Steve Loy while he was studying at the University of Arkansas. He was pretty successful during his amateur days and qualified for the U.S. Open in 1986. He made his debut at the major as an amateur but unfortunately missed the cut after two rounds of 88 and 76.

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When John Daly made a shocking claim to "hate water"

In the same interview with Graham Bensinger, John Daly also revealed that he started smoking at the age of 19 and has since been addicted to it. He also revealed that he "hates water," saying:

"I don't know, cause I don't drink water. I hate water. I cannot stand to drink water... Some of the guys call me camel cause I don't drink water. I never drink water on tour."

John Daly has been pretty vocal about his habits over the years. Intriguingly, on his Instagram bio, he had written, "Occasional 🍻 & 🚬 problem?!," taking a jab at his habits. He has also collaborated with Good Boy Vodka and often promotes their brand on his social media handle.

Earlier this week, Daly shared a post on Instagram promoting Good Boy Vodka and the John Daly cocktail collection.

Daly has been pretty successful in his career. He had around 19 professional victories in his career, including five on the PGA Tour, and won two major titles.