John Daly Wins First Tournament Since 2004, Celebrates Daly-Style

It has been years since John Daly was a winner on the PGA TOUR but that has never stopped him from being the entertaining player that he is.  And now Daly is back on top, winning his first golf event in 13 years.

Now playing on the Champions Tour, John was able to take the win Insperity Invitational by one stroke, the first win for Long John since the 2004 Buick Invitational.  And he won in classic John Daly style, starting off strong with an eagle and birdie but ending his round with three consecutive bogeys.  If it wasn’t for his stellar 65 on Saturday, Daly’s mediocre finish could have resulted in another one of his clubs ending up in a lake.

A big win for Big John.@PGA_JohnDaly wins the @InsperityInvtnl for his first victory on PGA TOUR Champions. 🍾 pic.twitter.com/bxTbhQQuTn

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 7, 2017

But despite the rough finish, Daly was finally able to break out a celebration that he has had in his pocket for almost all of those 13 years.  After tapping in his bogey putt on the 18th, his friends ran out onto the green and drenched him in champagne.  While he’s a fan of champagne Daly said that it stinks when it’s poured all over you and he just wanted to celebrate the victory with the classiest of drinks, a Miller Lite.

There was also plenty of kissing that ensued during Daly’s victory on Sunday.  Realizing how close he was to winning the title, Daly knelt down on the 18th fairway and kissed the Arnold Palmer umbrella that is painted in the fairway.  He also kissed his winning trophy several times after being announced as the winner.

Classy move. @PGA_JohnDaly kisses the Arnold Palmer umbrella painted on the 18th fairway at the @InsperityInvtnl. pic.twitter.com/0iYHF2xtSX

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 7, 2017

On a more serious note, this was a special victory for Daly because of the struggles he has had to deal with in his personal life.  The Champions Tour that he now plays on only allows for players over the age of 50, and Daly said after the win that he never thought he would even make it to that age.  So being able to beat the odds and capture a victory at that age was heartwarming for the fan favorite.

Daly’s victory shows that the “grip it and rip it” strategy can still work at the highest levels and we can only hope that we can see Long John holding more trophies in the future.

Cover Photo via YouTube