Former World No 1 Amateur Maverick McNealy ended months of speculation by announcing his decision to turn pro.
Earlier in the year, the Stanford prodigy had cast doubt over a future in the professional ranks by saying that he may opt instead for a career in business.
If he had indeed retained his Amateur status, McNealy would have been the first player to hold top spot on the Amateur rankings and not go pro in more than two decades.
What is most intriguing though is McNealy’s reason for not being entirely sold on the idea of life in the big time — he didn’t know if he had the game to compete on the world stage.
These the doubts of a 21-year-old whose CV reflects the same number of collegiate tournament victories (11) as Stanford products Patrick Rodgers and Tiger Woods, the all-time Stanford record.
While Rodgers has had a degree of success in his young PGA Tour career, it is the rapid rise of Jon Rahm, a graduate from Arizona State University that has inspired McNealy the most.
The Spaniard has been on a steady upward trajectory since turning pro in 2016. Wins at the Farmers Insurance Open and Irish Open amongst other good finishes this year have catapulted Rahm to eighth on the world rankings.
‘Right before he went pro, I played with him probably five or six rounds his senior year, my junior year. And I was going ‘Wow, this guy is on it. He’s playing really, really good right now.’ And it was really cool to see how that translated into the pro ranks,’ McNealy told Golf Digest.
The success of former teammate Rodgers and rival Rahm has shown McNealy that anything is possible with a bit of application. That in mind, he has decided to relocate to Summerlin, Nevada for its good weather and superb practise facilities at TPC Summerlin.
‘It’s cool to see the success those guys have had, and I think it makes me believe it’s possible with an incredible amount of hard work, and time and effort and doing things the right way.’
McNealy’s final showing as an amateur will be at the Walker Cup next month before making his professional debut at the Safeway Open in October.
Irrespective of whether he makes the fast start that Rahm did, McNealy has undoubted potential and could be a force to be reckoned with in years to come.
Photo: Michael Weinstein/California Golf
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