Daly II Picks Up SEC Honor After First Win as Razorback

Son of Arkansas legend has "amazing" finish in next-to-last matches of regular season

Arkansas Razorbacks golfer John Daly II with a follow-through at the Cabo Invitational earlier in the season. | Arkansas Communications photo

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It took a finish similar to some his dad has had, but Arkansas' John Daly II had a big finish to win the Columbia Spring Invitational this week. It was his first collegiate win.

As a result, he picked up co-SEC Men's Golfer of the Week, sharing the honor with Oklahoma's Jase Summy who won the Marido Intercollegiate.

It's the third SEC weekly honor by a Razorback this season as Erich Fortlage was selected freshman of the week in February after winning the spring opener at Palmas del Mar and Thomas Curry was tabbed co-Golfer of the Week in March for his strong performance at the CABO Collegiate.

Congrats, John Daly II!

The 21-year-old claimed his first collegiate win at the Columbia Spring Invitational 🏆 pic.twitter.com/MXM4Byeh1M

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) March 31, 2025

This marks the first time since 2015 that Arkansas picked up three SEC weekly awards in the same season, as Taylor Moore was Golfer of the Week twice (Feb. 18 and Mar. 4) and Kolton Crawford was Golfer of the Week (Feb. 25).

Daly, of course, is the son of former Razorback and pro golfer John Daly, who made a career with big wins on amazing finishes, including the PGA and British Open majors.

Daly had rounds of 70-69 for a 1-under-par total of 139 to claim his first collegiate win at the Columbia Spring Invitational. He tied Mathew Lin (Yale) and Tyler Brand (Dartmouth) but was declared champion in a scorecard playoff.

Daly carded an even-par 70 in the morning session with an eagle on the par-5, 7th. In the afternoon, he opened round two as he did round one with a bogey on the par-4, 3rd hole.

He birdied hole seven to get back to even, but fell 5-over with a double on hole nine and bogies on holes 10, 13 and 14. He played the final five holes at 6-under with birdies on holes 16, 18, 1 and 2 and an eagle on hole 17.

Arkansas closes the regular-season by playing in Virginia’s Lewis Chitengwa Memorial April 14-15 before playing the 2025 SEC Championship April 23-27.

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