John Daly To Undergo Knee Replacement Surgery Days After PNC Heroics

John Daly and his son, John Daly II, may have missed out on a second successive PNC Championship trophy, finishing runner-up to Vijay Singh and his son, Qass, but it was a remarkable performance given its proximity to the two-time Major winner’s latest surgery.

Just three days after the pair completed a second round featuring 11 birdies and an eagle to finish two behind the Singhs, the 56-year-old will undergo full knee replacement surgery. At the tournament, Daly explained it will be his last appearance for the forseeable future. He said: "I'm getting my knee replacement done Wednesday, full knee replacement. So I'll be out for a while."

Daly also had empathy for fellow PNC Championship competitor Tiger Woods. The 15-time Major winner has been managing injuries of his own. He recently developed plantar fasciitis in his right foot, while he has also struggled at points during his other appearances in 2022 as he recovers from a leg injury sustained in a car accident last year. Daly said: “I can’t imagine how much pain he’s in, but I know mine is - I had [my right knee replaced] three years ago, and it’s no fun when you can’t walk and can’t turn and be able to get out and practice enough and complete, which I can’t do right now really.

“I pray for Tiger. I hope his leg holds up and gets fixed because we need him on the Tour. For me, I’ve had probably more surgeries probably than Tiger. 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.”

Woods used a cart in the PNC Championship, something Daly has used in the PGA Championship since 2019, and says he’s happy to do it even though he his game finds it doesn't help his game. He said: “I’m not embarrassed to take a cart. It’s not helping my golf game by any means. I would rather walk and play golf because then you have time to settle down on a good hole or a bad hole, and you’re walking instead of just getting in the cart and going up and hitting the shot. It’s actually a big disadvantage. But if I could walk, I’d definitely do it.”

Daly's knee replacement will be the latest in a string of operations the American has faced over the years, including having his other knee replaced and undergoing surgery after being diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2020. 

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