Is John Daly II Dropping Out of College as Korn Ferry Tour Debut Looms?

John Daly II will cut his teeth on the Korn Ferry Tour soon. The University of Arkansas product will tee off in the Compliance Solutions Championship at the Korn Ferry Tour next week. Daly II received a sponsor exemption for the tournament in Oklahoma. The $1,000,000 purse event will kick off on June 10 at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club in Norman. However, ahead of his debut, the lingering question is: Will he have to leave his collegiate career to play in the Korn Ferry Tournaments? 

There hasn’t been any official word from the pop or the son about the KFT debut. The Korn Ferry Tour doesn’t bar amateurs from teeing off at any of its events. But Nick Dunlap’s decision to turn pro after winning the 2024 American Express made fans curious whether John Daly II would follow suit. However, the Arkansas sophomore might just complete his stint at the Arkansas Razorbacks; it’s a legacy of his father. 

John Daly studied at the University of Arkansas on a golf scholarship from 1984 to 1987. And his son is one of the team’s star members, not least because of his name. Daly II, a long-hitter like his dad, maintained a scoring average of 71.78, the 24th-best season average for a Razorback. Per the college’s official website, John Daly II is the only player to have six consecutive top 20s in the first six games of the season. 

The Dalys have also regularly appeared at the PNC Championship, the annual event that pairs a professional golfer with a person from their family. Team Daly has won the title once and came up runner-up twice. While his exploits on the greens as an amateur have turned heads, John Daly II was also at the center of media attention for signing an NIL deal as a teenager. Like his alma mater, his sponsor also has a special connection with his father.

Exploring John Daly II’s NILs

Hooters, the well-known restaurant chain, signed an NIL with John Daly II in 2022. Hooters had already established a long-standing partnership with his father. With Daly II on their roster, Hooters now boasts a father-son duo. During the 2023 PNC Championship, the father-son duo posted an image with Hooters girls at the brand’s outlet on Instagram. 

Daly II was one of the first among the notable and potential future stars to sign an NIL deal. Charlie Woods was, up until a few weeks ago, barred by his state’s law. But a similar problem didn’t exist for the 20-year-old. Nevertheless, that’s the only NIL Daly II has signed. The KFT debut will be his first event with higher stakes than a collegiate golf title.