ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. – Maverick McNealy seemingly has the world at his fingertips. He’s a 29-year-old newlywed, licensed pilot, and already a highly respected voice and agent of change on the PGA Tour. He’s playing this week’s RSM Classic, not because he needs to – he’s already locked up spots in two of next year’s early signature events – but because his wife, Maya, loves the milk and cookies at Sea Island’s renowned Lodge.
He’s also on the cusp of his first career PGA Tour victory, tied for the 54-hole lead with Vince Whaley at the RSM Classic.
And yet, McNealy seems focused on everybody else – his family, his team and his best friend, fellow PGA Tour player Joseph Bramlett.
“I’m following his score probably even closer than I’m following my own,” McNealy said of the 36-year-old Bramlett, who is tied for 12th at Sea Island as he battles, once again, to keep his PGA Tour card.
McNealy was a lanky, middle-school hockey player who dabbled in golf when he’d bounce around Stanford’s practice facility with his dad, Scott, and the family dog, challenging anyone and everyone – even the “gods” on the Cardinal team – to chipping contests; Bramlett was the first to accept.
“The kid wouldn’t back down,” Bramlett remembers. “That really endeared him to me. I love that competitiveness to him.”
At the behest of Scott McNealy, Bramlett mentored young Maverick – not that he needed to do much with the eldest McNealy boy, who was already wise beyond his years. Maverick credits Bramlett more as an inspiration; while McNealy was setting records and winning 15 times at Stanford, Bramlett, who first earned his PGA Tour via Q-School just months after turning pro, was fighting his way back from a devastating back injury. Annular tears to his L4 and L5 discs robbed Bramlett of more than three years of professional golf, yet he never gave up on his dream.
“He’s the most resilient, hard-working guy,” said McNealy, who has had a front-row seat all these years.
McNealy’s rookie season on the Korn Ferry Tour lined up with Bramlett’s first full season back on the PGA Tour’s main pathway. Two years later, they both earned their PGA Tour cards and have been full-fledged members ever since, though Bramlett twice needed the now-defunct KFT Finals to maintain status. They live just minutes from each other in Las Vegas, and Bramlett’s first date with his now-girlfriend actually took place the same night as McNealy’s first date with Maya.
“Just a lot of coincidences there,” McNealy said.
In recent months, though, the parallels have slowed. McNealy overcame a left-shoulder injury last year, and despite starting this season on a major medical extension, he’s re-boarded his rocket to stardom and is projected No. 51 in FedExCup points (ask Mac Hughes how important being No. 51 was last fall). Bramlett, on the other hand, has yet to rediscover his form after a left-thumb issue derailed a career year last July.
Bramlett, who shut it down after last year’s Genesis Scottish Open, still finished No. 89 in points, but in 27 starts this year, he’s not posted a single top-10. He entered this week No. 147 in points, needing at least a three-way tie for third to break into the top 125 and keep his job.
“This year I’ve been trying to find my footing all season,” Bramlett said. “It’s been frustrating; I can’t lie, there have been moments where I wanted to put my head through a wall. I can’t figure out why this is taking so long. It’s just a stubborn dream inside of me. This is what I’ve always wanted to do, and I don’t feel like I’ve come anywhere near my potential yet.”
In recent months, Bramlett has leaned on McNealy for help. McNealy calls Bramlett “one of the most gifted ball-strikers I’ve ever seen,” but Bramlett’s putting – 173rd in strokes gained on Tour, better than just 10 players – needed a lot of work. So, since late August, McNealy – in addition to playing golf, husband-ing, flying planes and influencing adjustments to the Tour’s FedExCup points distributions – has offered his coaching services, pro bono, to his good pal.
McNealy downplays his role, saying he’s simply providing Bramlett the blueprint for how to be an effective feel putter while Bramlett and his instructor make the technical fixes. But Bramlett, who has been religiously doing McNealy’s many drills (including one speed drill involving coins every day), argues otherwise.
“I can’t say enough good things about the dude,” Bramlett said. “I’m just very lucky that one of my best friends is one of the best putters in the world. … He gave me an incredible foundation to start building on. He’s been an incredible resource for me.”
Through three rounds (two recorded) of the RSM, Bramlett ranks 19th in strokes gained putting. He’s not losing strokes anywhere else, either. And after a flawless, 6-under 64 on Saturday around the Seaside Course, Bramlett is in position, just three shots back of third, to pull off another remarkable rally in a career filled with them.
“I’ve got to empty the tank this weekend,” Bramlett said. “That’s how my whole career has been; I have had more moments than most with my back against the wall. … Gave it everything I had today.”
He’ll try and do the same on Sunday.
Nobody will be rooting harder than McNealy, who for two decades has seen all that Bramlett has put into this game – the blood, sweat and tears.
A maiden PGA Tour title, McNealy says, would be pretty cool. But having Bramlett hold onto his card?
McNealy didn’t hesitate: “I would trade 100 trophies to have him on the PGA Tour next year.”
