Golfer John Daly Undergoes Emergency Hand Surgery and Says He Will 'Be Back Playing in No Time'

Mar. 15, 2025

John Daly recovering from emergency hand recovery.Photo:John Daly/Instagram

John Daly/Instagram

John Dalyis on the mend after receiving emergency hand surgery.On Tuesday, Jan. 14, the golfer, 58, shared a photo of himself on hisInstagram Storieslying in a hospital bed, giving a thumbs-up with his left bandaged hand.“Emergency hand surgery…thankful [it] went great & Doc McClimans for taking care of me 💯 ❤️‍🩹🩹 Be back playing in no time! 🏌️‍♂️,” he wrote above the photo in which he tagged his location as Tampa, Florida.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!Sharing the same photo on his Instagram Grid,he thanked his supporters for “all the messages” and reassured them that he “should be hitting ‘em again soon.” PEOPLE has reached out to Daly’s representative for comment.John Daly recovering from emergency hand surgery.John Daly/InstagramThe post received encouraging messages from many of his famous friends and fans, includingDJ Khaled, who wrote, “Bless up 🙏🏽,” andPat McAfee, who commented, “🗣🗣 GOD SPEED LEGEND.“Daly has five PGA Tour wins, including the 1991 PGA Championship and his victory at The Open in 1995.The athlete, who is known for pulling out a cigarette on the golf course, most recently competed alongside his son,John Daly II, atthe PNC Championship in December. Thefather-son duo previously won the event, which features professional golfers playing with a family member, in 2021.John Daly playing his second shot on the 16th hole during the second round of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 21, 2023.David Cannon/GettyHis surgery comes months after he revealed thathe lost his home due to Hurricane Helenein October.“I’m just glad everyone is healthy, that’s the main thing. You live in Florida, you have to understand that’s going to happen, but not like this. I didn’t think it would be this bad,” he said during aninterview with the PGA Tour.This is also not his first health scare, as Daly revealed in 2020 thathe was diagnosed with bladder cancer.John Daly watches a putt on the 18th hole during the first round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 21, 2024.Mike Ehrmann/GettyIn a September 2020 interview with theGolf Channel, he vowed to keep going regardless of his health diagnosis.“I’m cutting way, way back on the Diet Coke and counting minutes before I can have a cigarette. I’m trying to quit smoking. The doctors aren’t saying it’s too late,” said Daly.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Unfortunately, it’s a cancer that keeps coming back. But I’m going to listen to them, and I’m going to try and quit smoking. If it comes back, it comes back. Six months to a year, if it doesn’t go away, I’m going to live my life. I’m gonna have some fun,” he continued.

John Dalyis on the mend after receiving emergency hand surgery.On Tuesday, Jan. 14, the golfer, 58, shared a photo of himself on hisInstagram Storieslying in a hospital bed, giving a thumbs-up with his left bandaged hand.

“Emergency hand surgery…thankful [it] went great & Doc McClimans for taking care of me 💯 ❤️‍🩹🩹 Be back playing in no time! 🏌️‍♂️,” he wrote above the photo in which he tagged his location as Tampa, Florida.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

Sharing the same photo on his Instagram Grid,he thanked his supporters for “all the messages” and reassured them that he “should be hitting ‘em again soon.” PEOPLE has reached out to Daly’s representative for comment.

John Daly recovering from emergency hand surgery.John Daly/Instagram

The post received encouraging messages from many of his famous friends and fans, includingDJ Khaled, who wrote, “Bless up 🙏🏽,” andPat McAfee, who commented, “🗣🗣 GOD SPEED LEGEND.”

Daly has five PGA Tour wins, including the 1991 PGA Championship and his victory at The Open in 1995.

The athlete, who is known for pulling out a cigarette on the golf course, most recently competed alongside his son,John Daly II, atthe PNC Championship in December. Thefather-son duo previously won the event, which features professional golfers playing with a family member, in 2021.

John Daly playing his second shot on the 16th hole during the second round of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 21, 2023.David Cannon/Getty

David Cannon/Getty

His surgery comes months after he revealed thathe lost his home due to Hurricane Helenein October.

“I’m just glad everyone is healthy, that’s the main thing. You live in Florida, you have to understand that’s going to happen, but not like this. I didn’t think it would be this bad,” he said during aninterview with the PGA Tour.

This is also not his first health scare, as Daly revealed in 2020 thathe was diagnosed with bladder cancer.

John Daly watches a putt on the 18th hole during the first round of the PNC Championship at Ritz-Carlton Golf Club on December 21, 2024.Mike Ehrmann/Getty

Mike Ehrmann/Getty

In a September 2020 interview with theGolf Channel, he vowed to keep going regardless of his health diagnosis.

“I’m cutting way, way back on the Diet Coke and counting minutes before I can have a cigarette. I’m trying to quit smoking. The doctors aren’t saying it’s too late,” said Daly.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“Unfortunately, it’s a cancer that keeps coming back. But I’m going to listen to them, and I’m going to try and quit smoking. If it comes back, it comes back. Six months to a year, if it doesn’t go away, I’m going to live my life. I’m gonna have some fun,” he continued.

source: people.com