John Daly’s net worth is estimated at $2–3 million as of 2026. Born John Patrick Daly on April 28, 1966, in Carmichael, California, he is a professional golfer best known for winning the 1991 PGA Championship as a ninth alternate and the 1995 Open Championship, earning him the nickname “Long John” for his exceptional driving distance. Despite career PGA Tour earnings of approximately $10–12 million, Daly has publicly acknowledged gambling losses estimated between $55 million and $90 million, along with multiple divorces that have substantially reduced his net worth.
Updated March 2026: According to PGA Tour Champions, Daly remains active on the senior tour and was named the 2026 Ambassador of Golf at the Kaulig Companies Championship. His son, John Daly II, made his PGA Tour debut in early 2026, generating significant family attention according to Golf Channel.
John Daly was born on April 28, 1966, in Carmichael, California. His family relocated frequently during his childhood before settling in Dardanelle, Arkansas, when he was approximately 4 years old. Daly began playing golf at age 5, showing natural talent and power that would define his career. He attended Helias High School in Missouri and Dardanelle High School in Arkansas before earning a golf scholarship to the University of Arkansas in 1984, where he played through 1987 before turning professional.
Daly turned professional in 1987. His breakthrough moment came at the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club, where he entered as the ninth and final alternate, never having seen the course before the tournament. He went on to win, announcing himself to the golfing world with a combination of enormous driving distance and an aggressive style. According to Wikipedia, he won five PGA Tour events in total, with the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews representing his second major.
Daly led the PGA Tour in driving distance for 11 consecutive seasons from 1991 to 2002, a record that cemented his reputation as the longest hitter of his era. His total PGA Tour career earnings reached approximately $10 million, per PGA Tour statistics. He won one PGA Tour Champions event, the 2017 Insperity Invitational, and has 19 professional victories total. In 2026, he was named Ambassador of Golf at the Kaulig Companies Championship and is reportedly partnering with Topgolf Augusta.
Daly’s career earnings have been substantially offset by well-publicized personal challenges, but he continues to generate income through several channels:
John Daly has been engaged to Anna Cladakis since 2014, following their relationship that began around 2007. He has three children: Shynah Hale Daly (born early 1990s, with Bettye Fulford), Sierra Lynn Daly (born June 1, 1995, with Paulette Dean), and John Patrick Daly II (born July 23, 2003, with Sherrie Miller). According to People magazine, his son John Daly II has followed his father into professional golf and made his PGA Tour debut in 2026.
Daly has been publicly transparent about his struggles with alcohol and gambling addiction, entering multiple rehabilitation programs over the years and receiving PGA Tour suspensions and fines. He received a cancer diagnosis (bladder cancer) in 2020 and underwent treatment. He has spoken openly about his personal challenges, which have made him both a controversial and deeply relatable figure in the golf world.
John Daly’s net worth is estimated at $2–3 million as of 2026, according to multiple industry estimates including Reality Tea. While he earned approximately $10–12 million in PGA Tour prize money over his career, self-reported gambling losses of up to $90 million — documented in his own tax records as noted by Forbes — plus four divorces have dramatically reduced his accumulated wealth.
John Daly is engaged to Anna Cladakis, with whom he has been in a relationship since approximately 2007. The couple became engaged in 2014. Daly was previously married four times: to Dale Crafton (1987–1990), Bettye Fulford (1992–1995), Paulette Dean (1995–1999), and Sherrie Miller (2001–2010).
John Daly was born on April 28, 1966, making him 59 years old as of 2026. He was born in Carmichael, California, and grew up primarily in Dardanelle, Arkansas, where he first developed his golf game. He attended the University of Arkansas on a golf scholarship before turning professional in 1987.
John Daly stands 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall. His height is listed consistently across golf statistics databases and biographical sources. Despite not being exceptionally tall by PGA standards, Daly’s swing speed and hip rotation generated driving distances that led the PGA Tour for 11 straight seasons.
John Daly has three children. His daughter Shynah Hale Daly (born early 1990s) is from his relationship with Bettye Fulford. His daughter Sierra Lynn Daly was born June 1, 1995, from his marriage to Paulette Dean. His son John Patrick Daly II was born July 23, 2003, with his ex-wife Sherrie Miller. John Daly II notably made his PGA Tour debut in 2026, per Golf Channel.
John Daly has publicly estimated his lifetime gambling losses at approximately $55–90 million. According to Forbes, Daly himself relied on tax records to approximate $90 million in gambling losses over his career, making his case one of the most high-profile examples of gambling addiction among professional athletes. He has spoken about losing $1.65 million in a single five-hour casino session.