It’s official, “Little John” Daly is all grown up. After accepting an offer for the University of Arkansas, the golf legend’s son has joined the golf team and is officially a Razorback. The season began last month, but Daly did not join his new team in California right away. The first tournament was the Carmel Cup in Pebble Beach. Finishing in third, the Razorbacks ended the event at 13-underpar total of 1,067.
Last week, Daly played in The Blessings Collegiate Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Daly II was in the field, playing as an individual, meaning his scores didn’t count toward the team’s overall score.
Daly II’s college career got off to a rather inauspicious start, as the 18-year-old opened with an 11-over 83 that featured just one birdie, six bogeys and three double bogeys. First collegiate round nerves may have played a factor, but he was able to overcome them in a big way the following day. After bogeying his second hole in Round 2, the par-4 11th, Daly II got rolling, making seven birdies and just two bogeys the rest of the way to shoot a four-under 68.
Atta boy, JDII. A turnaround pops will be very proud of.
Making his second-round 68 all the more impressive is the fact it’s one of just seven rounds of 68 or lower in the 52-player field through two rounds. The first-round 83 may be too much to overcome, as Daly II is in a tie for 42nd with just one round to play on Wednesday, but another low one could see him vault up the leader board and post a solid finish in his first college tournament.
UPDATE, Wednesday, Oct. 6, 9:45 p.m.—Daly II went back out for the final round and displayed more of the jitters from Day 1 then the confidence of Day 2. After starting on the 10th hole, Daly II made seven bogeys on his first 15 holes before a birdie on the par-3 eighth, his second to last, left him with a six-over 78. He finished the tournament with a 13-over 229 that left him in 49th place out of 52 players, 24 shots back of the individual winner, Arkansas teammate Luke Long.
This article originally appeared on Golf Digest.
