John Daly has claimed that his party lifestyle rubbed off on the legendary Tiger Woods during one tournament, explaining that during one round, he must have gotten Tiger drunk “just from his breath” to take home a win back in the 1990s.
Daly watched on as Woods dominated golf in the late 90s, choosing to spend hours in the bar and smoking cigarettes on the green, while Woods was found on the driving range and in the gym,
Despite their two very different training methods, Daly would often manage to take a win over Tiger, even after a particularly heavy night the day before.
READ MORE:Tommy Fleetwood response says it all as three messages brought up after $10M PGA Tour win
READ MORE:Rory McIlroy facing awkward Ryder Cup reunion after furious car park altercation
Speaking to Hard Rock Bet, Daly opened up about one especially memorable night at the Sherwood County Club Tournament in 1994, where, despite working his way through two bottles of Crown Royal whisky and getting a standing ovation for playing Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door, he’d beat the future 15-time major champion by seven strokes.
Daly recalled: “I asked him [Tiger] to come have a drink with us—I had a bottle of Crown on the table. My buddy was drinking vodka, and I said, ‘We just finished playing, looks like we’re paired again tomorrow.’ Tiger goes, ‘Yeah, I can’t have one right now. I’m gonna go hit some balls.’
“Couple hours later, I’m still at the table, going through another bottle of Crown with the boys. Tiger walks by again, and I ask him, ‘Where you headed now?’ He says, ‘Going to go work out.’ I said, ‘Come on, man, have a drink with me – we’re playing tomorrow!”
But Daly’s efforts to get Tiger out partying didn’t come to fruition, but he did give the golfing icon a surprise when he returned decked out in a pristine tuxedo.
“I’m still in my same slacks and shirt, got crap all over them from the round, ” Daly added, “Then Tiger comes back, he’s in a tuxedo. I ask, ‘Where you going?’ and he says, ‘We’re in the ballroom in 10 minutes. Where’s your tuxedo?’ I go, ‘What tuxedo?’ I didn’t even know we had a dinner to go to.
“He tells me, ‘Yeah, I’ve got a guitar set up for you. You’re supposed to do a song.’ So I walk into this ballroom, barefoot, shirt stained, untucked, still in my golf clothes – and he hands me this old nylon-string guitar, looked like something Willie Nelson would play.
READ MORE:Rory McIlroy no longer has former Ryder Cup team captain’s number saved in his phone
READ MORE:Deion Sanders’ classy message to Michael Vick in private phone call ahead of coaching debut
“Tuners were falling out. I said, ‘Alright, give me five minutes to tune this thing.’ I played ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ and got a standing ovation.”
Rolling out of bed and straight onto the course the next morning, in the same old golfing kit from the day before, John was met with some more whisky on the first tee and got going.
“My caddy brings me some Crown to the first tee. I just said, ‘Give me a 3-iron and let’s go,'” he said.
“So, I think I got Tiger drunk just off my breath. I shoot 65, he shoots 72. He was a little p*****, but we had a blast.”
