John Daly Turns Heads in Pink Outfit With His Health Challenges Now a Thing of the Past

John Daly is back and bold as ever. After battling a staggering 16 surgeries, including emergency hand surgery earlier this year, and enduring a grueling stretch of health setbacks, Daly returned to the competitive stage with the same determination. The 59-year-old golf legend, diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2020 and now four years in remission, has continued to defy expectations. But what makes Daly’s return even more characteristic is his fashion: a wardrobe as loud and fearless as his swing. 

For decades, Daly has treated the fairway like a runway, shattering golf’s buttoned-up dress codes with vibrant colors, chaotic patterns, and accessories that could double as art pieces. At the 150th Open Championship in July 2022, he strutted in slacks covered with purple roses and skulls, a rebellious, rockstar vibe at the home of golf. Two years earlier, at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Phoenix, Daly dialed up the drama with tropical leopard-print trousers, paired with an over-the-top lion-head belt buckle that has become something of a signature. And then there was the unforgettable “pants on fire” moment at the 2019 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, where he wore red flame-printed trousers that quite literally brought the heat to the greens.

Keeping true to the trademark part of his personality, he stepped onto the course at the Ally Challenge in Grand Blanc, Michigan, on August 22 at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club in a light-pink polo paired with neon-pink printed trousers, crisp white shoes, and his signature shades, it was classic Daly—loud, unapologetic, and impossible to ignore.   

Despite a 2-over-par in the opening round that has him tied for 64th, Daly’s appearance alone is a win. After months of physical setbacks and time away from competition, simply being back on the course is a powerful reminder of the resilience that’s defined his career. It’s simply because this path to this point has been long and brutal. In 2020, Daly was diagnosed with bladder cancer after experiencing alarming symptoms, vomiting, and peeing blood, which he initially chalked up to back issues.

Thankfully, the cancer was caught in time, and after surgery and ongoing monitoring, he’s been in remission for four years. “I’m like Lazarus — I keep coming back from the dead,” he said at the 2025 Insperity Invitational, a tournament he won in 2017 and was runner-up in 2020. But the cancer was only the beginning of a cascade of health struggles. Since then, Daly has undergone two full knee replacements, fought to manage type 2 diabetes, and, most recently, battled through complications with his left hand due to the result of tangled tendons that needed emergency surgery early this January.

Despite all of this, Daly has remained committed to the game. While he’s had to withdraw or skip several events this season due to his physical condition, including the 2025 Regions Tradition, the Senior PGA Championship, and the Principal Charity Classic, he’s also managed to play in eight tournaments so far this year (out of 19), without missing a single cut. His most recent start before this week came at the 2025 DICK’s Open, where he finished tied for 67th after shooting 5-over par. It was a tough performance, no doubt, but also one that showed he’s not backing down from the grind.

But he’s still struggling with specific aspects of his game, particularly putting and three-quarter shots, as he described his hand as “about 80 percent” recovered, just ahead of sending wishes to players at the 153rd Open Championship. That was probably the reason why he withdrew from the Regions Tradition after just seven holes. He did not explain at the time, but it was clear his body wasn’t fully cooperating. Now, with his hand continuing to heal and his health trending upward, Daly seems poised to continue his comeback, and not without his bold fashion choices.