BLAINE, Minn. — Maverick McNealy and his longtime caddie Travis McAlister are working one final round together on Sunday at the 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities. Could it also be their first victory together?
McNealy and McAlister have teamed up for seven years – the first two on the Korn Ferry Tour and the last five on the PGA Tour. McNealy informed McAlister that his brother, Scout, who played college golf at Baylor before battling a shoulder injury, is going to be on the bag in two weeks at the Wyndham Championship, during the FedEx Cup playoffs, and the fall portion of the Tour schedule.
“I’ve had an incredible seven-year run with Travis,” McNealy said. “If you told me when I turned pro that I would spend two years on the Korn Ferry Tour and get my card and keep it every single year I’d say that’s a big success for someone wanting to do this for a living. Travis and I are incredibly close but I’m going to have my brother on the bag for the fall. The timing is perfect for him as he’s between jobs.”
McAlister, who is nicknamed The Warden – think “Shawshank Redemption” – understands and plans to take some time away to be with his 84-year-old father. He said he already knew what his next tournament would be and the player he’d be caddying for but didn’t discount the chance this break with McNealy, who has handled the difficult decision like a real pro, could be as short-lived as Jim Furyk and Fluff Cowan.
“I’ll still be part of the team,” McAlister said. “I’ll be in the group texts; I just won’t be carrying the bag.”
Maverick McNealy (R) hands his putter to caddie Travis McAlister (L) during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at Pebble Beach Golf Links. (Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)
It would be a wild twist to their story if after all this time and 132 starts together if McNealy, who has two career runner-up finishes, were to breakthrough in their swan song. McNealy, who entered the week at No. 68 in the FedEx Cup, started the third round six strokes back but carded nine birdies and shot 63 to vault into third place, just two strokes back.
Could winning change McNealy’s mind to shake things up?
“I’m not looking more than a day ahead,” McNealy said. “Travis is on board, my team is on board and this is a decision I made a couple of weeks ago before the Open Championship. I want to end this on a high note and do our relationship justice by finishing these last two tournaments great – with a major championship (that included a practice round with Tiger Woods) and now we’ve got a chance to go and win. I think that’s special, and I have so much gratitude for what Travis has done for the last seven years. I have no idea what the future has in store but I’m excited to go one last lap with Travis and see what happens.”
So is McAlister, who didn’t want to get ahead of himself but knows the Golf Gods are known to have a sense of humor.
“Wouldn’t it be a great story if I can take my shoes off on the 18th green after a win and walk off,” he said. “Something cool might happen, you never know. But he’s playing great, he’s confident and he’s thinking good.”
That sounds like the makings of a winning combination.