2014 was a
special year. A year ago I had just completed my first quarter at Stanford; now
I am 1/3 of the way through college. Sure makes me feel old. To look back on
just how much we were able to cram into 365 days, I have assembled my 14
favorite golf moments of the year, in chronological order. Enjoy!
1) Our
Hawaii Trip (and the annual “Race to Hawaii” qualifying trip)
Our qualifying
trip seemed like a vacation in itself, as we got to play Bayonet, Black Horse,
and the Preserve to end the “Race to Hawaii." Then the trip itself seemed like
a dream. We played the stunning Nanea Golf Club, caught some waves, and even
had a par 3 shootout on the 275 yard 3rd hole at Mauna Kea (pictured). Oh yeah,
we also played a
tournament! (many thanks to the Grousbecks for their hospitality!)
2) Palm
Springs & the Father-Son Shootout
The first
inaugural Stanford Golf Father-Son Weekend was a blast. We took a day to play
the Hideaway (where Patrick and Charlie Rodgers just barely eeked out a victory
over the McNealys...) before the tournament at the PGA West Norman Course. It
was a fun way to share my experience with my dad, who has been there for me
every step of the way. This tournament also holds a special place in my heart,
as it was the first time I broke par in a college event...
3) The
Goodwin
Needless to say,
it was a blast to compete on my home track. My years competing in the Men’s
Club Championship paid off, as I also notched my best finish of the year, T-4th.
The experience was only augmented by coach’s tribute to Coach Wally Goodwin,
the phenomenal support from everyone who came out to watch, and yet another
resounding team victory!
4) The Western at Pasatiempo
In the end, Mackenzie’s masterpiece is really not a bad place to
Pasatiempo. For those counting at home, this was the third team win in a row! 5) Cypress Point
Interesting
observation: it is remarkably easy to wake up before dawn to play one of the
greatest golf courses in the world. Just another pinch-me moment wearing the
Stanford uniform... Many thanks to all of our wonderful hosts at CPC.
6) The PAC-12 Championships
I will never
forget the day we won the PAC-12 Championships. From the fastest fairways I
have ever played (they
were stimped above 7...), to an individual and team championship to end a 20
year drought, and a matching PAC-12 win from the Womens’ side, it is safe to
say it was a good day for Stanford Golf!
7) The Patrick Rodgers Tournament
Our annual trip to Olympic Club was phenomenal- perfect weather, perfect golf course, and great fun. Word on the street is that next spring it will be named the “Maverick McNealy Tournament”...
8) Nationals
To this day,
there is no tournament that I have wanted to win more than this one. Prairie
Dunes was an unbelievable venue, and the live coverage on the Golf Channel was
an added bonus. While it was a crushing defeat to OSU in the semis, we walked
away with a 9 stroke margin in the stroke play portion, an individual champion
in Cam Wilson, and experiences that sure have helped me grow as a player and as
a person.
9) The US Open
Not much
justification is needed for this one. The golf course was HARD, and there were
a lot of people. A few highlights were the lockers next to mine (McIlroy,
Mickelson, McDowell), practice rounds with Jim Furyk, Boo Weekley and Cam
Wilson, and a realistic shot at making the cut late Friday afternoon!
10) The Southwestern at North Ranch
The final day at
the Southwestern is the only day that can rival the euphoria of winning the PAC-12
Championship. I made 7 consecutive 3s to shoot a final round 66 and win my
first college tournament- but even better was the across-the-board great play,
blitzing the field to a 15 shot victory to start the year. Oh, and happy 21st
Dom!
11) Olympia Fields
OFCC North will
go down as one of my favorite golf courses of all time- and it was yet another
stern test, with 6” rough, tight fairways, bad weather, and 2003 US Open
pins... Our team toughed it out to a 4th place finish, and 3 consecutive 71s
landed me co-medalist.
12) The Nike Collegiate Invitational at Colonial
Nike sure rolled
out the red carpet treatment for 12 of their top programs- one day at the Nike
Golf Oven and 3 days at Colonial. We left Fort Worth, Texas with some pretty
cool memories... This was also a great showing for the Card, as we finished
just a few short of another team victory.
13) Tiger’s Visit and V’s 59
I’m not sure which
one was cooler to witness, andthe two are inevitably tied together. Tiger was in town to induct Notah Begay into the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame, and took the time to stop by our practice facility to hit a few balls. What ensued was a total of probably 12 hours of every single member of the Men’s and Women’s teams standing around Tiger, listening to him talk, asking questions, watching him stripe 6 irons and bomb drives. He was incredibly generous with his time, and we all learned a ton. But just to add to the legend, our very own Viraat Badhwar lit it up the following weekend in qualifying shooting a 59, breaking his own course record of 61. V, are you good?
14) Walker
Cup Practice Session
It was an
incredible honor to be invited to Captain Spider Miller’s practice session at
Frederica in St. Simon’s Island, GA. I had a blast, learned a ton, and made new
friends. Frederica must mean “picture perfect” in at least one language...
It was sure
difficult to pick only 14 moments from this year. However, I would also like to
share a few Honorable Mentions that didn’t quite make the list, but surely will
leave lasting memories:
- Coach
Ray’s Playoff Beard. Strong.
- The team dinner where David said “I’ve got a really bad dairy
allergy...” Oh wait. That was every team dinner.
- V
losing a golf shoe at Olympia Fields. Location still unknown. Don’t even ask.
- This
elevator ride in Atlanta. For the record, 5 players, 2 coaches, 7 suitcases, 7
carry-ons and 5 golf bags in one medium-sized elevator.
- Watching Mr. Arrillaga’s bulldozers level the garden (the
burial ground of many range balls) to expand our phenomenal practice facility.
- Freshman Bradley
Knox introducing himself to Dr. Condaleeza Rice... as Maverick.
- V’s
wipeout in Hawaii. At least he held the finish like a pro!
But in all
seriousness, this list of experiences goes to show how special it is to be a
part of the Stanford Men’s Golf program; we cannot thank our supporters,
coaches, followers, fans, and everyone involved enough for all that they do for
us. Not a day passes that I don’t think how fortunate we are to be a part of
it, whether it’s biking through main quad on the way to class, getting a
world-class education, or getting to play at the incredible places that we do.
Thank you for making 2014 such a great year, and here’s to a spectacular 2015!
Go Card!
~ Maverick McNealy
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