John Daly Becomes Second Past Champion To Withdraw From 2024 Open

The 1995 Open champion is out with a knee injury

John Daly at the 152nd Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)

John Daly has become the latest past champion to withdraw from the 152nd Open.

The 1995 St Andrews champion pulled out of the championship on Friday morning due to a knee injury.

Daly carded an 11-over-par 82 on Thursday at Royal Troon, which was the same score as Ernie Els who also withdrew. Els cited a back injury.

The American, who also won the 1991 PGA Championship, was due to begin his second round at 1:37pm local time (8:37am) alongside amateur Santiago de la Fuente and Aaron Rai.

Daly has struggled with his knees in the past and regularly takes a cart during the PGA Championship and PGA Tour Champions events. He has had surgery on both knees and also has had his left knee replaced in December 2022.

John Daly hits a tee shot

Daly shot 82 in round one before withdrawing from the 2024 Open

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"For me, I've had probably more surgeries probably than Tiger," he said in 2022. "They just keep adding up over the last five years. But I get this metal put in this knee, hell, I got more metal than the Bionic Man does."

The 58-year-old now has just two Opens left before his exemption runs out, with his final appearance in golf's oldest Major set to be at Royal Birkdale in 2026.

The Arkanas native hasn't made the cut in The Open since Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2012 where he was an impressive T18th.

As well as Daly and Els, France's Romain Langasque also withdrew from the tournament. He called it a day after seven holes of round one.

Daly has played 11 events on the PGA Tour Champions this year, with one top-25 finish. His last victory came in May 2017 at the Insperity Invitational, although he did win the PNC Championship with son John Daly II in 2021.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV