Cover Story McCarty’s Experience at the PGA Cup

PGA Cup Experience through McCarty’s Eyes

A Conversation with Sean and Mundi McCarty took place in March of 2020.

Where was the event held?

The 29th PGA Cup was held at the Omni Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas on September 23-29. They played the Fazio Foothills Course. After getting on this team it is a new goal of mine to return to the making the team again in 2021 that will be held in England. I will need to stay healthy and make a few more putts at the National Championship that he has qualified for in 2021.

How did you find out that you were selected for the 29th PGA Cup?

After the 2019 PGA Professional Championship (Belfair Golf Club, Bluffton, South Carolina on April 27-30, 2019) I knew I was on the bubble for the team but then I missed the cut. I was almost back to Iowa when the couple I was staying with called to let me know I was in a play-off for the PGA Cup team. Fortunately, it did not matter as those that were also supposed to be in the play-off also missed the cut and had already headed home. Susan Martin emailed me to let me know that I had made the team. I called “Egly” (Mark Egly from the Des Moines Driving Range, and his PGA Teaching Professional) right away to let him know. I was ecstatic at making the team because I thought I had missed it by one point. The team is chosen based on a two-year point system. My runner-up finish in the 2018 PGA Professional Championship helped to secure my spot on the team. Making the cut at the 2018 John Deere Classic helped add significant points to my point total.

How did you feel about making the team? Where does this rank on your list of accomplishments – Hall of Fame, PGA Championships, US Open Tour events? Or is it a different ranking?

Playing on the National level for the United States there was a little bit more or different kind of pressure. Playing for your country was more pressure than nerves as I didn’t want to fail for the team or for the US. Currently this is the highlight of my golfing career. Winning was a highlight, in record fashion, but the friendships with the players, wives, Captain Sprague, the National PGA Officers, the National PGA Staff and the GB & I team will last forever.

Mundi commented, watching your spouse and players talk about their play at the PGA Cup is different than at a normal golf event. You were watching and talking to them as a team. Usually it is about how they played and how they competed against each other. The PGA Cup is was all about WE throughout the week. Pulling and cheering for each other.

It was an awesome experience and was a neat goal to accomplish.

Mundi, how did you feel watching Sean compete. Did you see a difference on the first tee or last day?

McCarty is the first Iowa PGA Section Professional to qualify for this international match between the ten Club Professionals from the PGA of America versus the Great Britain & Ireland Club Professionals.

determination and a higher level of focus and intensity that I had not seen in the past. He was always looked forward. I really had no idea and this was a way bigger event then I ever expected. The way they treated us was like the regular Ryder Cup except less people. It was just such an amazing experience and the level of play. Those guys were such great players. I didn’t give them enough credit going into the event. It was fun at dinner time as they do every other seat with the GB&I Teams. We got to meet them and interact with them. Their spouses were great. The GB&I Captain Clark is one of the classy guys I’ve ever met in my life. You know after we defeated them on that last day. You know it would’ve been a hard thing for me to do to accept but he made the team came over and they partied with us. We cranked up the music and we all started singing We Are the Champions. I was shocked that would’ve been a tough one for me to swallow for what we did to them on that last day.

Mundi, did you notice his mannerisms change? Sean said he took more time than he ever had in tournaments.

He was paired with Rich Berberian and he felt like he didn’t want to hit a bad shot and let Rich down. Rich is a great player and an elite player (Rich won the 2016 PGA Professional Championship). Sean didn’t feel as if he was one as he looked up to so many of the players like Rich and Bob Sowards. Rich was low-key and helped Sean to relax. He was more focused than ever. Sean was one of 6 rookies and the press was saying we were the underdogs. Sean read the bios of the GB & I team and thought we are really the underdogs here. There was a lot of intensity for the players and spouses. He was more nervous than ever based on some text messages Mundi saw between Sean and his PGA Assistant Professional Brian Wernimont. I tried to be a calming influence on Sean.

Did you do anything different in your practice routine leading up to the PGA Cup Matches?

I practiced more that in years past but I spent more time working on my short game leading up to the event. I also worked on my endurance as I knew I may have to play 36-holes in one-day. There were no golf carts or shuttles at the event. It was over an 8-mile walk around the Fazio Foothills Course in 100-degree heat. I hired a local caddie to help read the greens. I had walking pneumonia leading into the event so I had to back-off my endurance training prior to the event. I felt good all week during the three practice rounds.

How did the pairings come about?

I thought that Past PGA President and Captain Derek Sprague did a great job of pairing the players together. That is tough as he really doesn’t know the players as well.

Mundi, what were your expectations?

I had no real expectations. I mean Sean said, “This should be a really special moment." I must admit they over exceeded my expectations. The level of engagement was very high, they had some neat experiences for both the players and spouses together. That was neat being the spouse to tag along on these fun outings and get to know the other ladies on your team and the opposing teams.

It also made it hard when were on the golf course to just go over and chat with them. The ladies are supporting the guys plus just talking to one another. The officer’s spouses laid out the groundwork for us since they’ve been through it many times. Jennifer (Derek Sprague's wife) sang songs on the first tee box.

Sean commented, She made up a song for every single player before they teed off and sang it out loud. The first tee give you a great patriotic feeling and a unique experience. They do a lovely job at the PGA of America with the PGA Cup. The National Officer’s and their spouses are very supportive.

The relationships we made with the players, Captains, PGA Officer's was probably one of the most special things of the whole event. If somebody on the team plays well in a tournament, we text each other in a group text to congratulate them. There might also be some harassing in the text. 30 some texts messages later. Mundi will be like, “Who’s texting you?” Sean said, “It’s the guys.” Derek pops right in there and trash talks us as well. Derek was a great captain.

How did you keep yourself composed or focused each day?

I was more focused then I've ever been. We have a set schedule with events going on. When it was time to golf, I was all business and I did my stuff. We had a great evening activity with the teams and one night we were on our own. Everything was all team related one way or another. I think it helped us to win.

You know me I don’t like to lose so I don’t care who I was playing weather it be Tiger Woods or someone else. I usually try to let my game do the talking.

Did you do anything special at night to remain prepared?

I still tried to get a lot of rest. I always think that’s key. The routine helped. They had us be at a place at a certain time practicing on the range, putting and chipping. The routine was a big part of the preparation but getting rest was very important.

There is a lot of opportunity to have a lot of fun but everybody was very much business oriented as we were there to win.

Did you ramp up for the first couple days?

We had picture days, half a day was pictures, media day, stuff for the tv so that was the first two days. The third day was just practice. Everybody on the team was a good group of people and all were nice.

Mundi, how were the other spouses?

Some of the wife’s had spouses that have been on the team before. That was nice since they know what to expect and know a little more than I would. The officer’s spouses were supportive and helpful.

Sean commented, the Officer's were fun to hang with and the like to have fun.

What the one or two things you guys are looking forward to if you get back to go to England?

Competing again in that atmosphere. The GB&I Team will want to get us since we beat them. I think just getting over there with the teammates and building on our relationships. It’s obviously a hard team to make but having made it, I know it’s realistic to make it again. It’s one of my goals to accomplish.

What other experiences did you recieve?

They had 4 or 5 different shipments with gifts and clothing for both of us. After the event Derek and Seth Waugh (PGA of America CEO) gave us a nice gift. Even the guys last week when I was down in Florida were still talking about the gifts.

Mundi- The staff of the PGA of America were amazing. They bent over backwards to get what you needed, and they would bring it out to you. They will support you in every way that they can.

Give us your 2 or 3 of your top experienes?

Relationships are our number one. Competing at that high level with the top golfers in the US and GB&I Teams. They were phenomenal players. You know it’s obviously helping my confidence knowing I competed with them at that high level with those guys and I could play with them.

Let's talk about the 2019 PGA Championship, Winter Series and how this has helped your confidence?

For some reason I felt comfortable at the PGA Championship. I gained confidence there and I was never really nervous. I was mostly nervous because my bicep was bugging me. The second day, Friday I was feeling better and playing better. Obviously, I had another day with the rain delay on Friday. The confidence I’ve gotten off the PGA National Championship in California and my runner-up finish helped. I went down this year for the winter series playing more National events.

It was funny as Mundi reads the PGA Magazine cover to cover. She’s always asking me, “Did you know about the winning series events in December? Why don’t you play?” My answer has always been it’s during deer season! The boys are getting old enough the next two years or as I get closer to 50 I will start playing in the Winter Series more.

I’ve never played this much golf in the wintertime. Usually I’m trying to heal or recover a little bit. Knock on wood but my body feels good. I was wanting to stay for the stroke play, but I needed to get back home. I think next year I’m going to try and do three of them and maybe more in the December Series.

What was your best shot or putt?

All my highlights were putting. I played Matthew Cord in singles and he had beaten everybody. He hadn’t lost all week. I stepped up my game and I was really focused. I hadn’t missed a shot until 14 or 15. I was starting to get fatigued on the last day. Fifteen was the worst shot I hit the whole week. I mean we had so many good matches that every shot counted. We were on hole 15 and the match was tied. I had a good shot from about 220 yards. I wiggled that one in for Eagle. I made a lot of good putts all week. The greens were Bermuda and were very tough to putt. I had a good caddy all week. We were going into 17 in the Singles Match. He knew I was having a hard time breathing and I was up by three.

You drove throught the night to get back to Iowa to play in a Section Event. How were you feeling after driving back?

By winning it made my drive a lot easier. I drove back with Mark Egly and we just talked about the highlights and the week. Just because I was playing a Section Event right after the PGA Cup it finally sunk in on what we had accomplished on Thursday. It gave me goosebumps. When we were down there for the 2020 PGA Show I put on a piece of clothing that I haven’t worn since playing the PGA Cup. It gave me goosebumps and rehashing what we had accomplished.

When we saw the highlights on the golf channel and seeing the highlights again gives you goosebumps because you forget about the little details. It seemed like the whole week went by so fast.

They exceeded my expectations to the way they treated us. I felt like a PGA Tour Player.

I went right back to work the day that I got back. I was able to celebrate a little bit more right away. A unique event was great to be apart of and to be on the winning team with an historic comeback. One of the coolest things is the picture that was up in Time Square (picture above). The text messages that went back and forth on that were just hilarious.

This was a first class event and a neat experience that I hope Sean gets to play in again or other Iowa PGA Member get to experience. It’s amazing and a really neat thing to be able to build relationships in events like this.

The formality of the opening and closing ceremonies. It’s a very emotional to see these guys to see USA standing and Suzy (Whaley - Past President PGA of America) talking. The flags going up and the bag pipes it’s just quite the experience. A special experience.

What was your favorite hole to play?

Hole number 6 was a tough hole. It seemed like that hole always opened up our matches for some reason. Rich and I played that hole really well. A lot of people didn’t like that hole, but we birdied it every time.

All pictures taken by the PGA of America pages 20-24