Maverick McNealy finally got his breakthrough win on Sunday, and he did it in style. After five years and 134 starts on the PGA Tour, McNealy sank a clutch 5-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Sea Island to claim the RSM Classic.
It wasn’t easy. The pressure was intense as four players were tied for the lead late in the day.
Name
Events
Top 10
Money
Maverick McNealy
139
16
$10,510,325
McNealy hadn’t made a birdie in nine holes when he stepped up to the 18th. But that’s when he hit what might have been the shot of his life – a perfect 6-iron that set up the winning putt.
The victory means a lot more than just a trophy. He’s now headed to Maui for The Sentry tournament in January and earned his first-ever invitation to the Masters in April.
Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria, and amateur Luke Clanton all finished one shot behind. Each had their chances slip away with missed putts on the final hole.
For Berger, there was at least a silver lining. His runner-up finish moved him inside the top 125 in the rankings, securing his PGA Tour card for 2025 when spots will be harder to come by.
The 21-year-old Clanton nearly did something special. The Florida State junior came incredibly close to becoming the second amateur to win on tour this year. He’s already the world’s top-ranked amateur and has been turning heads with four top-10 finishes in just seven PGA Tour starts.
“It’s going to be a tough one to definitely take,” Clanton said after missing a crucial 7-foot putt on the last hole. “But I think it’s proven to me that out here I can win.”
McNealy’s win is even more meaningful given his work behind the scenes. The son of Sun Microsystems co-founder Scott McNealy has been helping reshape how tour points are awarded to make the system fairer for players.
But on Sunday, it was all about his play on the course. He started strong with a front-nine 33 to take a two-shot lead. Then things got tense. He made some clutch par saves, including a tricky 15-footer on the 11th hole, but lost the lead after a bogey on 14.
That’s when champions show what they’re made of. With everything on the line on the final hole, McNealy delivered the perfect shot at the perfect moment.
The win comes with some serious perks – he’ll now get to play in three $20 million tournaments early next year, plus that coveted spot in the Masters field.
