‘I Had Diabetes’: Tiger Woods’s Insensitive Joke on John Daly Once Led to a Remorseful Confrontation

The relationship between John Daly and Tiger Woods has been a rather complicated one to predict. While they seem to call each other friends since they started playing on the PGA Tour, the media has often pointed out a rift between the two. There have been several instances as to why it has been like this. Take the 2019 PGA Championship for example.

John Daly was authorized to use a golf cart for movement around the course (which is not generally allowed at the majors or Tour sanctioned events) because he was suffering from arthritis after going through several surgeries. Seeing him use the cart, Mr. T said, “As far as J.D. taking a cart, well, I walked with a broken leg, so…” at a press conference. Woods was referring to the time when he played and won the 2008 US Open with a broken leg, and making his stance clear when it comes to pros riding the carts at such events.

Now this may seem like a rather insensitive comment to make about someone’s health to the listener, however there was more to the story. And it was Daly who cleared it up. Long John, on the Full Send Podcast back in 2022, took to addressing the rumors that Woods had then dissed him. When asked about the incident, he said, “Yeah, but he didn’t know the facts because the media, ‘the media’ didn’t tell him I had diabetes and I had a bad two knees and my hips out and all this stuff.”

The 2-time major winner even confirmed that when the 82-time PGA Tour pro found out the truth behind the cart incident he he did apologized. “He apologized to me at dinner the other night. I mean, he’s fine. I love Tiger,” said JD explaining that Woods had reach out to him and cleared during the course of the PNC Championship.

John Daly even went on to state that he and Woods were pals. He justified it with claims that besides Justin Thomas, he was the only one who had texted the 48-year-old when he had met with an accident back in 2021 (Something Woods himself stated that had meant a lot to him).

The duo, it seems, have an exceptional friendship both on and off the course despite how it portrayed by the media. Moreover, the two are often in awe of each other! Daly looks up to Woods’s work ethic while Mr. T admires the golf veteran’s outstanding skills!

Tiger Woods commended John Daly for his ‘talent’

The year before beating John Daly in a playoff at the 2005 WGC American Express Championship, Tiger Woods had invited the golfer to be a part of the Hero World Challenge (back then the event was called the Target World Challenge). Notably Woods himself won that year, and Long John placed 12th in the meagre 20-man field. However, interestingly, Daly found a win there too, thanks to Woods’s words!

Before the events started, Daly was sitting in the locker room, drinking beer. Woods was walking past him then, and the golfer invited him to join him there. The 15-time major declined, but not before paying him a huge compliment. “If I had your talent, I’d be doing the same thing you’re doing. I’m looking at him thinking, ‘You’re crazy, man,’” said the golf legend, commending Daly’s immense skill. A compliment like this coming from Mr. T of himself, of course, is more than a big deal.