Two-time major champion John Daly recently turned 50 years old, which not only means he can now play on the Champions Tour, but it also led to the long driver winning a bet with fellow golfer Fuzzy Zoeller who didn’t believe Big John would make it to the big 5-0.
After years of partying, gambling and doing whatever the fuck he’s wanted to do, Daly—who plans to compete on the Champions Tour for the first time this weekend—talked about his career in a press conference for the event. He was as honest as it could be, per FTW.USAToday:
“In the ’90s with the physical ability I had, and if I had the physical ability I have with my mental attitude right now, I’d feel a lot better. But I wish I would have had the mental attitude back in the ’90s like I do now. I think I wasted my talent in the ’90s, especially towards the later part of the ’90s. All the money was coming in, and I didn’t work hard enough at it. I didn’t do the right things to prepare myself to win golf tournaments. You know, that’s definitely on me, and I admit that. But that’s just not the case anymore for me. I’m just kind of a grinder now, but I think my mental attitude is 10 times better than it was in the ’90s.”
While most athletes would never admit such a thing, Daly chose to go the most candid route—even if it’s depressing as hell to say he wasted his talent—so he deserves respect for that. Still, John Daly’s PGA career is another example of a young athlete having too much, too soon.