Why was John Daly nicknamed ‘The Wild Thing’? What we know as Golf legend undergoes emergency hand surgery

John Daly, golf’s most colorful and controversial figure, recently had emergency hand surgery. The golfer, 58, announced the news on Instagram with a photo of himself in a hospital bed in Tampa, Florida.

With a bandaged hand giving a thumbs-up, Daly told fans that the hospital visit went well and that the surgery was successful, and expressed hope that he would soon be back on the course.

Daly's career has had its highs and lows. He became a golf legend after winning the 1991 PGA Championship and the 1995 Open. However, his personal life has been plagued by difficulties, including battles with alcohol, gambling, and health issues.

Daly’s recent surgery comes after he lost his home to the hurricane in October. On the other hand, this is not the first time the golf legend has dealt with serious health issues. Back in 2020, John Daly revealed that he had been fighting bladder cancer. In an interview with the Golf Channel, he said he was determined to keep moving forward despite his diagnosis.

John Daly has always been a polarizing figure in golf, his larger-than-life personality defining him. Many people use the nickname “The Wild Thing” to refer to his flamboyant personality, gambling, and partying (Essentially Sports).

Daly said in a 2009 interview that the name came from a million-dollar golf tournament in South Africa in which he had played with his fellow players Ian Woosnam and Steve Elkington. He said:

"It was because we had some fun in South Africa one year that they nicknamed me ‘The Wild Thing.'"

Unforgettable Moments from John Daly’s Wild Golf Career

John Daly is known for his flamboyant pants, chain-smoking, and chaotic personal life. He was known for his personality on and off the playing field. In a particularly infamous story, Daly confessed to winning $55,000 at a casino, then tossing it out of a car window during a spat with his wife.

During one instance, he was seen playing shirtless and shoeless at his own Murder Rock Golf Course in Missouri, disregarding the PGA standards.

According to an article by Highview Golf, he has faced a lot of problems caused by substance abuse, including one night when he passed out drunk at a Hooters restaurant in North Carolina and spent a night in jail.

John Daly’s dietary choices are just as odd. In college, he supposedly dropped nearly 70 pounds by only drinking Jack Daniel’s whiskey and eating popcorn. Daly, a notorious gambler, estimates that he has lost up to $50 to $60 million during his life, including a record $1.65 million in Vegas.