Despite being one of the game's biggest names, Daly is not noted for his consistency, which is reflected in his Sony Ranking. When he won his first major, the 1991 USPGA Championship, he was ranked 168th in the world. Four years later, when he added the British Open title to his list of achievements, his ranking was 109. Daly's volatile temperament and well publicized drink problem has earned him a high profile.

At the beginning of 1993, Daly, a self-confessed alcoholic, underwent a rehabilitation program to rid himself of this problem. And in May 1994, when he won the BellSouth Atlanta Classic he admitted: "This is the first time I've won sober and knowing I can do it sober means a lot."

In November 1993, at the Kapalua International in Hawaii, Daly got into trouble when he failed to complete the 11th hole of the second round. After missing a shortish putt for a birdie, he picked up his ball and walked off the green. This led to the US tour revoking a probation order that had been issued against him earlier that year. As a result, he was suspended by the Tour and he didn't compete again until March 1994.

A play-off victory over Costantino Rocca in the 1995 British Open earned Daly his second Major title.