LOS CABOS (Mexico) – Maverick McNealy’s heart grew fonder when he was away.
The 27-year old Stanford grad will make his return to PGA Tour at Thursday’s World Wide Technology Championship, after nearly five months of being sidelined with a shoulder injury.
He said, “I know that’s a cliché.” “I’m the luckiest guy in the world, and I realized it when I couldn’t play here. When you’re engrossed in the FedEx Cup, the world rankings, and all the other stuff that goes with it, it’s easy to forget.
McNealy tore his anterior sternoclavicular ligament on his left shoulder at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am, in February. He recalls that during the second round of the Monterey Peninsula Club Shore Course’s seventh hole, he had a long wait and cold weather, and then made a “funny” swing, in which he swung too steeply, and was stuck under the ball, forcing him to make a late shallow to bring his shoulder back into position.
He said, “Doing this repeatedly while slamming in a metal rod into the ground wasn’t good for my health.”
When he hurt himself, he was ranked 26 th on the FedEx Cup. After missing the RBC Canadian Open cut, he tried to rest and play for a few more months. The surgery was not necessary.
He said, “The doctors said it would have been similar to hanging a picture frame on a wall with a sledgehammer.”
Maverick McNealy hits an approach shot at the ninth hole in the first round of 2023 AT&T Byron Nelson, which will be held at TPC Craig Ranch near McKinney. (Photo: Mike Mulholland/Getty Images).
Physical therapy and stem-cell treatments accelerated healing. After three days of treatment, he was holding a club, starting with 15 balls being swung from hip to hip. He gradually increased the number of swings to reach a full-volume of practice and game about a week ago.
McNealy made adjustments to his swing to ensure he didn’t place as much strain on his shoulder joint. McNealy tried to make his golf swing “less steep and shallow” while staying behind the ball. McNealy, whose instructor Butch Harmon was no longer travelling to Tour events for him, sought out a second pair of eyes and began working at the Valspar Championship with Scott Hamilton.
He said that it was more of a complementing relationship than a substitute.
McNealy tried to recapture his old swing ideas during the off-season last year. His swing was off-kilter at that time, which led to his injury.
McNealy took advantage of his free time to earn his pilot’s licence as well as his instrument rating, so that he could fly in adverse weather conditions. He plans to fly a Cirrus to West Coast events in the next season. He proposed to girlfriend Maya Daniels in Lake Tahoe, which he flew her to earlier this summer.
McNealy met Daniels, who had previously dated LPGA player Danielle Kang three years earlier, at his physical therapy and workout center. They began dating around 11 months ago, and it didn’t hurt that he helped her with his rehabilitation.
Take flight with Maverick McNealy
A man of many talents shares his passion to improve on and off the course.https://t.co/QqYuLTYRFo
Presenting @UnderArmour
— PGA TOUR October 31 2023
He said that if your fiancee is a physical therapist, it’s a big plus if you are a professional sportsperson.
McNealy had been ready to return to Tour at the Shriners Children’s Open, in Las Vegas where he practices and lives. But that event marked the end of a minor and major medical extension. By waiting until this coming week, McNealy will have enough events to keep his card.
“I am currently 121st on the FedEx Cup.” “I don’t know whether my number will hold up, and I don’t want to take it on chance that I might not be able get all of the events to begin in 2024,” he said.
McNealy, meanwhile, is eager to return to the Tiger Woods designed El Cardonal in Diamante.
Love the food. McNealy joked that he ate Chipotle a lot when he was on the road. “This is a more authentic version.”
