Golf hero John Daly reveals he has cancer and will limit lifestyle which included 28 Diet Cokes and 40 cigarettes a day

GOLF legend John Daly insisted “I’m not scared to die” after revealing he has bladder cancer.

The former Open champion, 54, said he recently had surgery to remove the cancer but is praying for a “miracle” it will not return after doctors said it is 85 per cent likely to.

Daly has revealed he has bladder cancer and must cut down on his lifestyle

Daly with girlfriend and caddy Anna Cladakis

Daly, whose grip-it-and-rip-it style captivated fans everywhere, has vowed to cut back his lifestyle which saw him consume 28 cans of Diet Coke and 40 cigarettes a day.

The two-time Major champion – who recently had to apologise for telling people downing a bottle of vodka a day would kill off coronavirus – withdrew from a tournament last month citing back pain and kidney stones.

He told an upcoming episode of Golf Channel’s PGA Tour Champions Learning Centre: “My urologist said there’s an 85 per cent chance it comes back.

“So I’ve got to go back and see him in three months.

“They will probably have to cut it out again. It’s probably going to come back, and then another three months that you don’t know.

“You just don’t know.

“Luckily for me they caught it early, but bladder cancer is something. I don’t know all the details.

“But it doesn’t look like it may go away.

The American has said he will cut out cigarettes and Diet Coke

Daly won the 1995 Open and was known for his exciting style of play

“We will just see what happens. Maybe there is a miracle.”

Daly had a brush with death last year when he needed mouth to mouth and emergency surgery after being bitten by a brown recluse spider when on holiday in England.

Off the course, his crazy lifestyle has seen him battle alcoholism and he is reported to have lost almost £50million gambling.

The American, nicknamed The Wild Thing, vowed to change his habits once and for all now.

Dad-of-three Daly, who has had four wives and has current girlfriend Anna Cladakis caddy for him, said: “I’m cutting way, way back on the Diet Coke and counting minutes before I can have a cigarette. I’m trying to quit smoking.

“The doctors aren’t saying it’s too late. Unfortunately, it’s a cancer that keeps coming back.

“But I’m going to listen to them, and I’m going to try and quit smoking. If it comes back, it comes back.

Daly is a legend of the game for his natural style and devil may care attitude

“Six months to a year, if it doesn’t go away, I’m going to live my life. I’m going to have some fun.

“No matter what happens, I’m not scared to die.

“It would have been nice to play the last seven or eight or 13 years of my career a little more healthy.

“But hey, I’m still working, I’m still living life. I’m still doing the things I need to do.

“I can accept the challenge. I’m not scared of that. I just want my kids to be OK and everyone else in my family.”