John Daly will be in Augusta for the 2026 Masters after all

Two-time major champion and golf legend John Daly has been a match of Master’s week for years… even though I never won at Augusta National.

WHEREAS 59-year-old veteran no longer plays the Masters, for years he has set up shop at Augusta’s Hooters restaurant in his RV to entertain fans, sign autographs and sell merchandise.

But the Hooters in Augusta, Ga., is no more. That left some wondering if the Daly Masters tradition was over.

Thankfully for Daly fans heading to the Masters in April, local news media Urdu Channel 12 in Augusta has confirmed that Daly has found a new Augusta home.

John Daly finds new Augusta headquarters after Hooters closes

In July 2025, and amid a number of chain restaurant closings nationwide, the Hooters on Washington Road in Augusta, Ga., closed for good. Months later, the building was demolished.

Michael Bamberger of GOLF wrote all about Daly’s time at Augusta last summernoting that Daly reportedly pulled in $780,000 in sales during the 2024 Masters.

So despite the fact that his best finish was a T3 at the 1993 Masters, Daly has an incentive to keep playing as long as he can.

With Hooters now just a memory, we now know where the new Daly Augusta headquarters will be.

According to one Report from WRDW CHANNEL 12Daly will spend the 2026 Masters week (or “golf week” as Augusta locals call it) in Top Dawg Tavern on Washington Street. The restaurant confirmed to WRDW that it will host the grand champion this year.

While not as close to ANGC as Hooters was, Top Dawg Tavern is still just a mile from the Magnolia Lane entrance off Washington Road, an easy walk as you can see below.

So if you’re attending the 2026 Masters, after watching official honorary starters Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson tee off on the first hole, head over to the Top Dawg Tavern to see Daly, the unofficial greeter of Masters week.