SEA ISLAND, GEORGIA | With the thrashing waves and wind blowing rain sideways into the coastline just a short pitch from the 17th green at Ocean Forest Golf Club, Nick Maccario turned his hat backwards to keep raindrops from falling into his line of sight. Finally, he discarded it in the direction of his golf bag.
If you are going to be introduced to the Jones Cup as Maccario was this past weekend, temperatures in the 40s with enough wind and rain to make a player uncomfortable is the most fitting baptism. Despite finishing near the bottom of the 84-player field that was composed mainly of the best collegians in the country, Maccario wouldn’t have wanted the experience any other way.
“I’m playing in a tournament where they are talking about Walker Cup hopefuls,” Maccario said. “That hasn’t happened to me very often. I want to be one of the best mid-ams in the country, and I know that sounds aggressive, but I want to play in events like this to get there.”
In the sunnier, warmer days of last summer, the 29-year-old from Haverh...
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