John Daly Announces Decision on Playing Golf After 16 Surgeries

There have been many golfers to tee it up on the PGA Tour over the years, but none quite like John Daly.

Daly has two major victories to his name, and at 59 years old, he's still teeing it up, despite 16 surgeries and a bout with bladder cancer. Next weekend, Daly will play at the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, the first major of the PGA Champions Tour.

Normally, Daly would go play in the PGA Championship, where he has a lifetime exemption as the winner of the 1991 tournament. However, given the scheduling conflict, he's going with the Regions.

“I can go there and miss the cut and get $6,000,” Daly said of the PGA Championship, via the Associated Press. “But I’m playing Birmingham. I love Regions. They’re a great sponsor. But why are they scheduling Regions the same week as the PGA Championship, where I can see Brooks (Koepka) and all the guys?”

Daly, who withdrew from last year's PGA Championship, has not made the cut at the event since 2012, when he finished tied for 18th. In that sense, he's probably better off opting for the Regions.

However, Daly admitted to not being in top form after hand surgery in January. So far, he's played four tournaments this year, including a 77th place finish at the Insperity Invitational last week, at which he shot 27-over for the weekend.

Daly's only top 50 finish out of the four events was a tie for 50th at the James Hardie Pro Football Hall of Fame Invitational in April, but despite the physical struggles and less than satisfactory results, he's not ready to hang up his golf shoes. 

“I’m like Lazarus — I keep coming back from the dead,” Daly said of continuing on the Champions Tour. “Waking up is a win for me.”

We'll see if Daly feels good enough to play The Open Championship in July. He won the final major of the season back in 1995 but hasn't made the cut there since 2012 and withdrew from last year's event.