John Daly names his Mount Rushmore – and Tiger Woods is not on it

John Daly has never been one to follow the crowd – and his latest comments about Tiger Woods prove it.

In an interview with Hard Rock Bet, the two-time major champion was asked to name his golfing Mount Rushmore – the four players he believes stand above the rest as the most iconic and influential figures in the sport. The term, inspired by the four United States presidents carved into the famous South Dakota monument, has become a popular way of measuring all-time greatness.

For most fans, Woods, 50, is a guaranteed inclusion in that debate. Fifteen majors. Eighty-two PGA Tour victories – tied for the all-time record with the late Sam Snead. A cultural impact that transcended our great sport.

But Daly, 59, went in a different direction.

“My favourite was always Nicklaus, Fuzzy Zoeller, Watson, Palmer,” Daly said of his Mount Rushmore of golfers to Hard Rock Bet. “Those were the four, that’s the best. They’ve been so great to me when I came on Tour.”

Instead of Woods, Daly selected 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus, eight-time major winner Tom Watson, seven-time major champion Arnold Palmer and two-time major champion Fuzzy Zoeller, who sadly passed away in November 2025.

The omission of Woods will surprise many, particularly given how often he features automatically in similar conversations. 

But Daly’s choices were deeply personal, rooted not just in records but in relationships and inspiration. His admiration for golf legend Nicklaus, in particular, runs back to childhood.

“Meeting Jack I was nervous because I learned how to play golf from Jack Nicklaus,” Daly said, recalling the famous Golf Digest instructional series from the 1970s.

“The 70’s Golf Lesson Tees that came out of Golf Digest—that’s how I learned how to play.

“He was a cartoon character in Golf Digest back then, and I think a lot of kids learned from him that way.”

For Daly, his Mount Rushmore is not purely about numbers – it is about influence, mentorship and the figures who shaped his journey on the PGA Tour.

Watch Daly's comments below: 

Daly, famously nicknamed ‘The Wild Thing’ for his towering backswing and fearless power, carved out a remarkable career of his own.

The popular American won the 1991 US PGA Championship as a ninth alternate and added The Open Championship in 1995. 

Across his PGA Tour career he claimed five titles, and he now competes on the PGA Tour Champions – a circuit Woods became eligible to join upon turning 50 in 2026.

Crucially, Daly’s decision not to include Woods should not be mistaken for a lack of respect. In fact, quite the opposite.

In a separate interview with Hard Rock Bet, Daly spoke warmly about his long-standing connection with Woods, dating back to when Tiger was just a prodigious 12-year-old.

“I’ve just always respected Tiger. I was 21 when I first met him—he was 12. We were playing the Big Insurance Youth Classic at Texarkana Country Club, and he shot 72. I think I shot 69.

“For us, I think it was a Ben Hogan event back then. Then it became a Nike, and now it’s Korn Ferry. But I just knew this kid had something special. And we haven’t gone out to dinner all the time and all that, but we text a lot.

“I always ask him how his health is and how he’s doing. Hopefully we’ll see him on the Champions Tour a few times this coming year. But if he could just get healthy, Tiger probably would have broken all of Jack’s records.”

That last line speaks volumes. Daly clearly believes Woods’ injury battles – including multiple back procedures, the latest being his seventh surgery in October – have ultimately prevented him from chasing down Nicklaus’ 18-major record.

Woods has not competed since missing the cut at The Open at Royal Troon in July 2024. There is cautious optimism that he could return at The Masters in April, but as ever with Woods, fitness remains the key variable.

What is not in doubt, according to Daly, is Woods’ ability to win again.

“I ain’t doubting that man. He’s too good, and the thing about him — he only needs to be about 75% healthy to pretty much kick everybody’s ass out here.”

Woods, who is hosting the Genesis Invitational at Riviera in support of his TGR Foundation this week, will address the media on Tuesday and provide an update on his recovery. 

Questions about a potential Champions Tour appearance are almost inevitable now that he is age-eligible.

Whether Woods ever tees it up regularly on the senior circuit remains to be seen. Whether he adds a record-breaking 83rd PGA Tour title is another open question entirely.

And whether he belongs on golf’s Mount Rushmore? That debate clearly isn’t settled either.

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