Golfer John Daly reveals he has bladder cancer: 'I'll do what I have in me to beat this'

Two-time major champion John Daly says that despite recently getting a "shocking" diagnosis of bladder cancer, he remains optimistic about his recovery.

Daly, 54, told Golf Channel that doctors diagnosed him with bladder cancer after he withdrew from a tournament last month after two rounds due to kidney stones.

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He said doctors removed the cancer in a successful procedure but there is a strong chance it will return.

"He said there's an 85 percent chance it comes back," Daly told Golf Channel. "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 that I don't know all the details. But it doesn't look like it may go away. We will just see what happens. Maybe there's a miracle."

The PGA Championship winner and British Open champion expressed his gratitude on Thursday for all of the well wishes from golf fans. Daly is famous for his underdog victory at the 1991 PGA Championship as well as his long drives off the tee, colorful outfits in tournaments and wild life off the course.

"Hey All, thank you all so much for all the love, texts, msgs & support thru this!" he tweeted. "It’s all still shocking for me but know I’ll do what I have in me to beat this! My whole life I’ve beaten the odds, so it’s NOT time to stop now! Ready for 2020 to be fkn over! #gripitandripityall"

Daly, who has struggled with alcohol issues during his career, told Golf Channel he plans to make some health changes like cutting back on Diet Coke and trying to quit smoking.

"Well you know what, I always tell people I've lived one hell of a life," he said. "No matter what happens, I'm not scared to die or anything. 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."

Bladder cancer is the fourth-most common cancer in men, and 9 out of 10 people who get it are over 55, according to the American Cancer Society.

There have been about 81,400 new cases of bladder cancer this year, including 62,100 in men, and about 17,980 deaths, per the ACS. Survival rates can vary dramatically depending on how much the cancer has grown into or through the layers of the bladder wall.