In some circles, being associated with thug life is a badge of honor. Maybe John Daly should download some old Tupac songs to fit in with that crew.

The round mound of the golf course's defamation lawsuit against a Jacksonville reporter who wrote Daly had "thug life qualifications," was dropped.

In a 2005 column, Mike Freeman characterized the bad boy golfer as a "thug," referring to domestic violence accusations against Daly, his three kids with three women and his extensive "rap sheet."

The judge ruled the journalist did nothing illegal and was protected by that pesky First Amendment.

Freeman neglected to mention Daly's seemingly constant state of drunkenness and his antics on the golf course that have all but got him banned from the PGA tour - further strengthening Daly's qualifications for thug life.