WATCH: John Daly Belly Flops Into Golf Course Lake

The American lived up to his fun-loving reputation with a dip at Trump National Doral

John Daly dives into a lake at Trump National Doral
(Image credit: Caddie Network/Twitter)

John Daly is as well-known for his fun-loving persona as the big-hitting talent that helped him take the game by storm and win two Majors in his prime.

However, while tournament success may have run a little dry in recent years, where it comes to his antics, the opposite is true… literally, if his stunt while playing at the Trump Touring Pro Weekend is anything to go by. In a video posted by Caddie Network, the 56-year-old can be seen taking a dive in a – presumably alligator infested – lake at Trump National Doral in Florida.

If Daly is considering a late-career switch to a water-based sport, though, the professionals need not be too concerned. His execution seemed a little lacking as he belly flopped hard onto the lake’s surface before recovering his composure.

The incident is another to add to Wild Thing’s extensive list of exploits over the years. They include his decision to fill the famous Claret Jug with chocolate ice cream after he won the 1995 Open, collaborating with Willie Nelson on an album, legendary tales about his alcohol intake and insatiable thirst for Diet Coke on the course and, even earlier this year, heading to Hooters and a casino after shooting 72 on the opening day of the PGA Championship. Needless to say, the list could go on.

While Daly’s exploits both on and off the course are never less than colourful, when it comes to tournaments, he proved in last year’s PNC Championship that he still has the ability to roll back the years on occasion. He and his son John Daly II won the title to condemn Tiger Woods and his son Charlie to the runner-up position. He will once again team up with his son at the weekend as they try to defend the trophy.

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Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.