John Daly Rips Tiger Woods' Agents Amid DUI Charge: 'You Have Agents That Suck' (Exclusive)
John Daly is unapologetic about his love and admiration for Tiger Woods.
Daly's just as frustrated with Tiger.
The two-time major champion tells Men's Journal he's been in Tiger's ear for years, pleading with him to get off painkillers and find the right support. It's a sore subject that intensified after Tiger was charged with a DUI following yet another rollover car crash on March 27 in Florida.
The 15-time major champion blew a 0.00 at the scene, but the five-time Masters champion refused a urinalysis and admitted to taking painkillers earlier in the day.
Daly, speaking with Men's Journal in Augusta, Georgia, during the 90th Masters Tournament, grew furious, conveying his frustration with Tiger's situation, specifically Tiger's agency.
Tiger, with a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, is represented by Mark Steinberg, previously Director of Global Golf Business at IMG, before his 2011 ouster. Steinberg is now a partner at the powerhouse agency Excel Sports Management, with clients that include Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas.
Tiger is loyal, perhaps to a fault, Daly argues. When Steinberg left IMG, Tiger went with him. But that loyalty's come at a cost, according to Daly, who says Tiger's agents have taken advantage of him.
"Tiger, you have a $65 million plane. You have all the cars you want for free," Daly tells Men's Journal during a break from signing autographs at Topgolf in Augusta. "His agents f--k him so bad, and I'm so pissed right now."
Men's Journal has reached out to Steinberg and Excel Sports Management for comment.
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After the rollover car crash, which came more than five years after his near-fatal accident in Los Angeles, reports surfaced as to why Woods refuses to hire a full-time driver: He wants his privacy, and doesn't want anyone to know what he's up to at any given moment.
That Tiger's team has not been able to persuade him to think otherwise is a disservice to the legendary golfer, Daly infers.
"They should have taken care of that kid, and they never did," said Daly, a cigarette in one hand, and a cold Good Boy Vodka can in the other. "I hate his agents and always will. If he would be with us at Wasserman (recently rebranded as The Team in the wake of named partner Casey Wasserman's link to the Epstein files) ... nothing would have happened."
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Daly continued, "I can't stand his f---ing agents. They have taken so much advantage of him. They've taken so much money from him."
Tiger's absence at the Masters is palpable. It's easy fodder for patrons in attendance, all of whom Daly says wonder the same thing: If Tiger had a driver, he'd be in Augusta playing, or at least entertaining the idea of playing.
Daly says he's tried and tried to get Tiger help, to no avail.
"I'm going to say this ... me and Lane Kiffin are on his ass. Seven years ago, I told Tiger to get off these painkillers," Daly says. "Get off of them. I've had 14 surgeries in seven years. I won't take a painkiller. He's addicted to them. He needs to come see me and just let me talk to him as a father to a son."
Following his DUI charge, Tiger announced he's stepping away from golf and is headed to rehab. Daly can only wish and hope that Tiger comes out of it a better man.