“More like rolling in debt” – When a young John Daly opened up on his financial troubles at the start of his career

US golfer John Daly is famous for his flamboyant personality. The golfer’s surprise win at the 1991 PGA Championship made him one of the most popular names as well. Nicknamed 'Long John' by fans, Daly is indeed a big-name golfer.

According to reports, Daly has a net worth of around $2 million dollars. It’s safe to say that the golfer has found his position and is doing well himself. However, this wasn’t always the case. As he himself once revealed, Daly struggled to make ends meet at the start of his career and had a huge debt on his shoulders.

In an August 2005 interview, a young John Daly opened up on his humble beginnings. Speaking exactly 10 years after his 1995 British Open win at St. Andrews, the American golfer said that he was “rolling in debt” while starting out as a pro.

Speaking in the interview, Daly revealed that he donated $30,000 to the children of a fan who died the week he won the PGA Championship in 1991. The golfer said that the spectator, named Tom Weaver, got killed by lightning during a big storm and the golfer reached out to his family. He stated that one of the children even reached out to him after graduating from medical school.

While reciting the story, the interviewer asked how he was doing financially at the time of the incident. Responding to the query, John Daly said, as quoted by Golf Digest:

“More like rolling in debt. That was my first big check. I owed $175,000 on my house in Memphis. We owed some on my wife Bettye's car. I figured I could pay off those two, and then take $30,000 for the girls (Tom Weaver’s daughters).”

The golfer went on to reveal that things “worked out” as he earned more than what he imagined. He further added to the sad story and said that he would be reaching out to the girls as well.

He added:

“I got $230,000 for winning the PGA, so it all worked out. The $30,000 was invested well. I just felt it was the thing to do, and it felt good. I won a major, but we lost a human being while I was doing it, and I almost felt like I was part of his death. Now that they've reached out to me, I'll reach out to them.”

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John Daly said he was financially set at the age of 39

Further down in the interview, John Daly stated that he was struggling with his age. However, the then 39-year-old golfer mentioned that he was doing well financially and could afford to quit golf anytime he wanted.

He said:

“It's been a hard 39. Fuzzy Zoeller keeps saying I'll never make it to 50, but if he did, I think I will. I used to be a lightning rod. Now I'm just thunder. I've had ups and downs, including with my wife, Sherrie. But basically, since we got married four years ago, it's been great.”

He added:

“Financially, we would be set if I quit golf tomorrow. I'm happy being around my family. Our two boys are great. But I miss my two daughters. I don't get to see them as much as I'd like to, that's for sure.”

It’s safe to say that John Daly chose against quitting the sport at the time, as he went on to become one of the beloved golfers.