DES MOINES (Iowa) — A sunny day before the Principal Charity Classic began, Billy Mayfair finished his practice round at Wakonda while his service-dog, Boomer, panted under the shade of an empty gallery overlooking 18th hole. Mayfair putted a few times and his wife Tami threw golf balls around the green to test for rough patches or slopes that could affect her husband’s performance at competition time.
Mayfair has been a professional golfer for 35 years, having started his career in 1988. On this day, he appears to be a golfer squeezing a round in before a PGA Tour Champions tournament comes to town.
On first glance, Mayfair is the only player who has beaten Tiger Woods in a PGA Tour playoff.
Mayfair, a Des Moines Register reporter, said that it was an honor to be asked even after 25 years. It’s really true. Tiger is one of the top players in the World, if he’s not the best. It was even more satisfying to me that it was on the golf course where he grew up in Los Angeles.
I think that everyone expected him to win. But I played well that week. Tiger once told me that I was the only person he couldn’t intimidate. “That was a very nice gesture from his side.”
Woods and Mayfair both shot 12-under par, but the Nissan Open 1998 playoff was won by Mayfair.
It’s one of Mayfair’s best memories from the game, not because he won, but because he and his competitors were so close. Mayfair has been in the game so long because of this camaraderie.
He also enjoys the solitude that comes from being on the golf course for long periods of time.
Mayfair only recently realized why he loved his time alone so much.
Tiger Woods (left) and Billy Mayfair (right) shake hands at the Nissan Open, Valencia, California. Harry How/Allsport is required credit.
Mayfair’s love for golf has finally made sense
Mayfair was originally a swimmer, and his father played “pretty well” as an amateur. He tried both sports for a while before settling on one.
Mayfair said, “When I started out, I was an excellent swimmer.” “But we received ribbons for swimming. We got golf trophies. “That made my choice really easy.”
The 56-year old Arizona native chose the right sport.
Mayfair’s PGA Tour career includes five wins, 73 top-10 finishes (including 38 top-5 finishes), five third-place finishes, and 15 runner up finishes. His total career earnings on the PGA Tour are over $20 million.
He was a natural at the game, and he loved the competitive aspect of golf. Mayfair enjoyed playing golf alone, and the solitude it brought.
He didn’t realize why for over 30 years after he started his career.
Mayfair was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2019. In 2021, he made his diagnosis public.
Mayfair explained, “Now that I know I have autism, I can understand why I love to go out on the golf course by myself and play.” “I never understood why I enjoyed being alone on the golf course.
Adults who struggle to get autism tested
Mayfair is not shy when it comes to discussing his autism diagnosis.
It wasn’t always like this.
Tami Mayfair, Mayfair’s spouse, was the one who first encouraged him to consider that he might have autism, or another diagnosis. He says he was reluctant to go to a doctor but Tami wouldn’t give up.
She made the most of Mayfair’s career or, more specifically, the fact that it allowed the couple to travel all over the world.
Tami replied, “I asked myself ‘What am I doing well?'”. “Well, I travel. “Well, we travel.” I began interviewing doctors wherever we went. “I interviewed someone in Japan and someone in England when we went there.”
Fortunately, Tami’s favorite doctor was right in their backyard.
The Mayfairs were able to find a doctor who was willing to test Billy, then 53, for autism spectrum disorder. The real work began once they received the official diagnosis.
Billy and Tami both agreed that they needed to relearn the basics of communication and interaction. Tami compared it to learning a new language. Both parties had to adjust as Billy started to understand his feelings and Tami sought support from her loved ones as a person who has autism.
Billy Mayfair with his wife Tami. Mayfair was motivated to test for autism spectrum disorders by her.
The Mayfairs accepted the new normal with time.
It doesn’t, however, mean that you don’t face daily struggles.
Golf has been a great outlet for Billy and Tami and is a big reason why Mayfair plays at the professional level.
Acceptance brought a new purpose
Mayfair, 56, could retire if he so desired. He’s had so many challenges – including an autism diagnosis, and a battle against testicular cancer back in 2006. – that it would be hard to blame him for retiring from professional golf.
The competition and camaraderie keeps him playing.
Mayfair stated, “I love the preparation.” I enjoy the competition. “I enjoy the competition.
Many professional golfers may give this answer when asked about retirement, especially if they are still physically capable of playing the sport.
This is also a better answer for the neurotypical brain.
Tami asked, “From my perspective, what else will he do?” “Autism is a condition where people need to understand the ‘how’. His whole life, he’s been taught golf. He is asked this question constantly, that he can give up golf and do something different. This is for the neurotypical mind. Autistic brains don’t understand how. “He knows one thing and that is his path.”
Mayfair, then, will continue to golf because it is not only his career but also what brings him peace and makes sense.
He has used his diagnosis to convince others that autism does not deter people. Autism makes him different and allows him to do things differently.
Billy Mayfair shoots during the Ascension Charity Classic. This weekend, he will compete at the Principal Charity Classic.
Mayfair stated that “some of the talent out there is not only athletic talent.” “(People with Autism) specialize in what they do. They are like accountants and lawyers, who do the same job over and over again and do it well.
It’s okay to say “That’s us” and it’s great. “We’re not alone and I wanted to show that by coming out.”
Mayfair did not immediately announce his diagnosis. He said the pandemic had been a blessing in that it allowed him to spend more time at home with his doctors, and understand autism better.
He did not want to talk about something he could not understand. Now that he understands, Mayfair is looking forward to the tour events where he can meet fans whose lives he has impacted, not only because of his career in golf, but also because they are able to relate to him.
It’s gratifying to see people in their 40s and 50s and 60s get diagnosed and thank you.
Alyssa is the Des Moines Register’s college sports recruiting reporter. Alyssa can be reached at ahertel@dmreg.com, or via Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
