John Daly Has ‘Emergency’ Surgery, Shares Photo From Hospital Bed

Pro golfer John Daly is on the mend after undergoing an unexpected surgery.

“Emergency hand surgery,” the PGA star, 58, wrote via his Instagram Story on Tuesday, January 14, along with a photo of the golfer laid up in a hospital bed. “Thankful [it] went great.”

In the picture, Daly wore a nasal cannula and was wrapped in a hospital blanket as he sat back in his bed. While his hand was wrapped in a bandage, Daly attempted to give a thumbs up.

Daly gave a shout out to his doctor, thanking the medical professional for “taking care” of him and promising fans he would return to the fairway soon.

“Be back playing in no time 🏌️‍♂️,” he concluded.

Daly also shared the same photo on his Instagram feed and thanked everyone for their support. Multiple athletes, including Johnny Damon, Doug Flutie and Pat McAfee, took to the comments to wish Daly well.

“🗣🗣 GOD SPEED LEGEND,” McAfee responded, while Flutie replied, “Love ya big John!!!”

The official X account for the PGA Tour Champions shared their support for Daly as well, writing, “Wishing John Daly a speedy recovery!” alongside a screenshot of Daly’s initial post.

This isn’t Daly’s first public health battle. In 2020, the athlete — who famously loves Diet Coke and cigarettes — was diagnosed with bladder cancer. While he underwent surgery to remove the cancer, Daly admitted there was a chance the disease could return.

“Luckily for me they caught it early, but bladder cancer is something that I don’t know all the details,” he said during an interview on the Golf Channel per NBC News. “But it doesn’t look like it may go away. We will just see what happens. Maybe there’s a miracle.”

Daly has been a fixture in the PGA since he joined the organization in 1991. Over his impressive golf career, Daly has won five tournaments including the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 Open Championship. His last solo win was at the Buick Invitational in 2004.

Three decades after joining the PGA, Daly won the 2021 PNC “Father and Son” Championship with his son, John Daly II, who followed in his dad’s footsteps as a pro golfer.

Last month, Daly and Daly II hit the golf course together for the PNC Championship in Orlando. While the pair lost to father-son duo Bernhard Langer and Jason Langer, Daly II shared how happy he was to spend quality time with his dad.

“Thankful for another @pncchampionship. By far the best week of the year,” Daly II wrote via Instagram in December 2024 alongside a photo of him and his dad. “@pga_johndaly we will get em next year!!”