At 59, the fan-favorite golfer is choosing his battles as he recovers from his 16th surgery, this one an emergency procedure on his left hand that nearly sidelined him for good. “Waking up is a win for me,” Daly said recently, reflecting on the turbulent road back to competitive golf.

Instead of teeing it up at Quail Hollow, where he holds a lifetime exemption thanks to his 1991 victory at Crooked Stick, Daly is headed to Birmingham to play in the Regions Tradition. It’s the first major of the PGA Tour Champions circuit, and for Daly, it’s a better fit right now.

“I can go there and miss the cut and get $6,000,” he said about the PGA Championship. “But I’m playing Birmingham. I love Regions. They’re a great sponsor.”

The last few years haven’t been kind to Daly. He’s battled bladder cancer, endured multiple surgeries, and weathered more physical setbacks than most athletes see in a lifetime. The recent hand surgery came after a health scare in January left him hospitalized.

“The tendons were all wrapped around each other,” Daly explained. “The doctor doesn’t understand how I played last year. But he put it back, attached it to the forefinger or something.”

Since returning to competition in March at the Hoag Classic, Daly has struggled to regain form. His finishes this season, T-56, T-75, T-50, and a rough 77th at last week’s Insperity Invitational-paint a picture of a man still shaking off the rust. At the Insperity, a tournament he once won and finished second in, Daly shot 27-over par.

Even so, he hasn’t lost his trademark resilience or humor. “I’m like Lazarus—I keep coming back from the dead,” he joked. “Sixteen surgeries in four years. I’ve lost count pretty much.”

Daly, ever the straight-shooter, also voiced frustration over the scheduling conflict between Regions and the PGA Championship. “Why are they scheduling Regions the same week as the PGA Championship, where I can see Brooks and all the guys?” he asked.

Back in 2020, Daly vowed to scale back his famously rough lifestyle after his cancer diagnosis. He’s made some efforts- less Diet Coke, fewer cigarettes- but his body keeps sending reminders that the road ahead will take patience.

For now, Daly isn’t chasing cuts. He’s chasing comfort, healing, and the chance to keep doing what he loves, on his own terms.

Also Read: Golf Legend John Daly Laughs Off His Latest Health Scare, Says He’s ‘Only Been Dead 11 Times’