Why We All Should Be Pulling For Little John Daly In The 2022 US Amateur

by Nick Heidelberger Clubhouse Collective

If professional golf is occasionally guilty of providing less than edge-of-your-seat action to its TV audience, how’s this for a solution: Two John Dalys, competing head-to-head, at St. Andrews, in the Open Championship?

With some luck, it’ll happen next year.

John Daly’s 1995 Open Championship triumph at St. Andrews earned him an exemption through 2031, when he turns 65. The 2022 edition heads back to St. Andrews and it just so happens that his son, Little John, is one of the top junior golfers in the country and entering the prime of his amateur career. If Little John can find a way to win the 2022 US Amateur title - and with it an Open Championship exemption - and pops, fingers crossed, stays healthy enough to compete, we’ll be blessed with golf euphoria for at least 36 exhilarating holes.

The son of arguably the second-most captivating golfer of the last 30 years, and undeniably the most erratic, unpredictable, self-destructive-yet-loveable player of that time is taking his game one step closer to the biggest stage this fall. It’s simply not possible for Little John Daly to pursue golf at the highest level while avoiding comparisons to his father. So why try? Instead, Little John is leaning in and following his father’s footsteps to the University of Arkansas.

Even Arkansas coach Brad McMakin can’t help but mention John Sr., when talking about the impending arrival of Little John.

“We are excited that he will not only continue his dad’s legacy here at Arkansas, but we look forward to him establishing one of his own,” McMakin said when Little John signed with the Razorbacks. “He’s got Razorback in his blood and the game to follow in his dad’s footsteps.”

Taking his talents to Fayetteville is not the only similarity Little John shares with his old man.

"I just wanted to always hit my driver like he did,” Little John said, referring to his dad’s signature swing which was as aggressive as it was ahead of its time.

Don’t let John Daly’s wild personality and even wilder pants overshadow the meteoric highs he reached on the course. The man won two majors. And even though the argument could be made that Daly never fulfilled his potential on the course, he leaves tough, if not impossible, shoes to fill.

That, however, won’t stop Little John from trying. He has put in the work to make a name for himself and has consistently been one of the country’s top 40 junior golfers, earning 2020 Rolex Junior All-America status. And according to dad, he’s got some of the most important traits for sustained success.

“He's got great grades, great student, just a great kid, he's got (the) dedication, desire to do what it takes."

We could all use a little more John Daly, big or little, on our TV screens. We’ll be watching next year’s US Amateur with a hopeful eye on Little John.