Two years before John Daly shocked the golf world by winning the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club, he found himself struck by something far less expected: the composure and talent of a 13-year-old kid.

The moment happened at the National Insurance Youth Golf Classic, held at Texarkana Country Club. Daly was called in late to the event and, by chance, grouped with a young Tiger Woods.

At 13, Woods was noticeably younger than most of the field, which included players several years his senior and future tour winners. However, as Daly mentioned in the Like a Farmer podcast, Woods carried himself well.

 “They were playing the, I can’t remember what the Junior tournament was called, but it was a big one, it goes all over the world or country, and I met this kid, and of course he’s playing way up… what an unbelievable kid.”

That same day, Daly met Tiger’s parents, Earl and Kultida Woods, for the first time and made a promise.

“I met his mom and dad that day, and I said, Look, I know he’s going to make it, hopefully I will too, but if you ever need anybody to look out for him, I will.”

John Daly wasn’t the only one impressed —Tiger was too 

During the podcast, Daly recalls a round where he hit a five-iron so pure that the ball literally came apart mid-flight.

“I hit this ball and the rubber band back there came out of the ball and like it was just pfzzzzzz the whole way, and it got to the front of the green and Tiger to this day will ask anybody it was the greatest shot you ever saw on golf, he’ll say that shot,” 

Not long after that meeting, Daly won the 1991 PGA, while Woods went on to claim the U.S. Junior Amateur, early markers of two careers that were only just beginning.

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar