Maverick McNealy has finally gotten over the hump.
The 29-year-old stuffed a 7-iron from 183 yards on the par-4 18th hole at Sea Island’s Seaside Course before buying the 5-foot, 5-inch putt to earn his first PGA Tour win Sunday at the 2024 RSM Classic. McNealy had numerous birdie opportunities down the stretch during the final round, but he made the one that counted the most.
The birdie propelled McNealy to 16 under, topping Daniel Berger, Nico Echavarria and amateur Luke Clanton by a shot. Berger was in the final group with McNealy and missed a longer birdie attempt, but he moved inside the FedEx Cup top 125 with his runner-up finish at the RSM.
Both Echavarria and Clanton missed par putts on the final hole to drop to 15 under, waiting to see what the final two groups did down the stretch.
Berger hit his approach shot about 20 feet short of the hole, missing the birdie putt that would’ve forced McNealy to make to join a playoff between the pair.
Instead, it was McNealy finally breaking through for his maiden PGA Tour win.
For Clanton, the T-2 gives him another point in the PGA Tour University Accelerated program, moving him to 17. That’s three points from earning a PGA Tour card.