John Daly II Goes from Bench to PGA Tour Contention

Just over a year ago, John Daly II was struggling so badly with his golf swing that he couldn't crack the starting lineup at the University of Arkansas. This weekend, the 22-year-old is contending to win in his first-ever PGA Tour start.

Daly enters Sunday's final round of the Puerto Rico Open three shots off the lead after briefly tying for first on Saturday. His college coach calls it "the most satisfying thing I've ever seen from a player" in three decades of coaching.

The journey wasn't easy. As a walk-on freshman, Daly shot 83 in his only tournament and had to redshirt the next season. His ball-striking simply wasn't good enough for top-level college golf, even though his short game and mental toughness were already excellent.

Everything changed when his coach stopped overthinking it. After some swing tweaks backfired, Arkansas head coach Brad McMakin stepped back and let Daly work with his famous father (a two-time major champion) and a former assistant coach on the basics.

The breakthrough came last spring. Daly went from averaging 75.7 strokes to posting three top-10 finishes and winning his first college tournament. McMakin says Daly's ball-striking improved 100% in just months.

"He went from being a bad driver of the golf ball to now hitting these tight draws with great control," McMakin said. "He actually looks the part now."

Why This Inspires

Daly's rise shows what patience and persistence can accomplish. While many talented players would have transferred or quit after riding the bench, Daly stayed loyal to Arkansas, the school he loved since childhood.

His dedication paid off beyond the golf course too. Last summer, he won the Southern Amateur on Arkansas' home course and reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur at Olympic Club. He's now ranked 54th among amateur golfers worldwide.

Even this week, Daly showed his team-first attitude. He arrived in Puerto Rico on Wednesday, just one day after finishing a college tournament in Cabo. He wasn't about to abandon his teammates for a professional opportunity.

After Friday's strong round, the exhausted college senior skipped practice for an afternoon at the beach. That kind of balance and perspective seems to be working for him.

Daly fired rounds of 70-67-70 to reach 9 under par through three rounds. His only bogey in the last 35 holes came on Saturday's final hole when the wind caught his approach shot.

"It was the windiest day of the week so far," Daly told reporters. "Sucks to make my first bogey in a while on 18, but it was a good day."

His goal for Sunday remains simple: make birdies and hit good shots. Unlike two years ago when he couldn't consistently do either, he's now fully capable of both.