Maverick McNealy is already one of the richest golfers in the world thanks to his father’s wealth, while also being one of the top players in the game on the PGA Tour
Maverick McNealy is one of the best players on the PGA Tour(Image: Getty Images)
Maverick McNealy is making waves both on and off the PGA Tour, but he’s not ready to rest on his laurels just yet.
Thanks to his billionaire father, Scott McNealy, Maverick ranks as one of the world’s wealthiest golfers. But the 29-year-old isn’t just riding on his family’s coattails; he’s carving out his own successful path. McNealy is in contention to win the BMW Championship, which boasts a $20 million prize fund. The winner will take home $3.6 million, with the runner-up getting $2.16 million.
At the time of writing, McNealy is 11-under-par for the tournament, just two shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler. Bob MacIntyre (12-under-par), Sam Burns (11-under-par), and Tommy Fleetwood (11-under-par) are also hovering near the top of the leaderboard.
In recent times, McNealy has more than justified his high leaderboard position with a string of impressive performances.
Earlier this year, in February, he clinched second place at the Genesis Invitational, followed by a tie for third at the Valero Texas Open two months later. He then achieved top-five finishes at the RBC Heritage and the Memorial.
Despite these flashes of brilliance, McNealy insists there’s still plenty of room for improvement in his game. Speaking to reporters after the third round of the RBC Heritage earlier this year, he modestly referred to himself as the “worst player” in the OWGR top 10.
McNealy is in contention at the BMW Championship(Image: Getty Images)
“That was a really cool one because my entire career, I’ve held the top 10 players as my benchmark of what do I need to do to improve?” McNealy shared at the time.
“What are the top 10 guys doing that I’m not? How do I work on my game? What areas of my game need improvement to get there?
“That being said, I’m the worst player in the top 10 right now, so I’ve got a long ways to go. I’ve got to play some really good golf to keep up with those guys.
“I also don’t have the 10th best resume on the PGA Tour,” he continued. “I still have a lot I want to do and accomplish in this game. But it was really validating to see that number, and maybe a good week here, we can keep improving it.”
McNealy has already demonstrated his ability to claim victory on the PGA Tour, securing his triumph at The RSM Classic last year. The golfer from Portola Valley, California, hasn’t captured a title this season.
For the moment, McNealy remains laser-focused on his game, not the ranking looming above him. “Actually, I don’t feel like a different player,” he said when questioned if being in the top 10 feels any different.
“I feel like a different player every time I come back to a tournament, though. I feel very different than the last time I was here.
“That’s the cool thing about this schedule is every year you come back and get those memories of where you were last time, how you were feeling, how you were playing. This hole looks wider, this hole looks narrower based on how you’re hitting it.
“Hopefully, like I said, it’s just a ranking. It’s just a number. I want to keep improving. There’s a lot of things I still want to work on in my golf game, and really grateful for the guidance of my team for showing me how to improve because that’s the hardest question to solve.”
McNealy is currently ranked No. 21 in the Official World Golf Ranking after slipping out of the top 10, but he should rise again after his showing at the BMW Championship.