Mac Meissner maximizes his potential, earns first PGA TOUR card

Mac Meissner could be considered a late bloomer in the golf world. Meissner – who learned the game from his father at age 5 – describes his game as taking a little longer than most to develop. A young Meissner could not have imagined professional golf as an ironclad outcome.

Meissner’s strong play as a high school senior, though, earned him an opportunity to play college golf at Southern Methodist University. He maximized that opportunity – and he was just getting started. Now he’s headed to the PGA TOUR.

Meissner, 24, earned a top-30 spot on the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Points List in dramatic fashion, finishing T3 at the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance to move from No. 35 to No. 20 on the season-long standings. The top 30 players on the Points List after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship earned 2024 PGA TOUR membership.

In 2021, Meissner was awarded the prestigious Byron Nelson Award, a testament to his excellence both on and off the golf course during his college career at SMU. This recognition was well-deserved, considering his notable achievements in college golf, including being named the 2019 AAC Golfer of the Year, winning the individual title at the 2019 AAC Championship, and earning three-time All-American honors. It was a sign he had the potential to compete at the highest level.

Meissner thrived at SMU with a great balance of golf, classwork and friends, but his transition to professional golf required an adjustment period. The Korn Ferry Tour presented new challenges, and he quickly realized the grind and intensity needed to compete at this level. “Pro golf is different,” he said.

The Korn Ferry Tour was at first intimidating and just an awful lot of golf for Meissner – he refocused to avoid burnout and stay as fresh as possible.

“Yeah, the goal was not to play four events in a row, and well, I ended up playing seven in a row at one point,” said Meissner.

Meissner’s roller coaster on the Korn Ferry Tour hit a high point in the second round of this year’s LECOM Suncoast Classic, when he carded the circuit’s first 59 in six years. His responses to a round like this depict Meissner’s character and mindset.

“I was hoping I could just sneak in the cut and ended up shooting 59,” Meissner said in real-time. “Definitely a little bit shocked right now … I think we were talking about maybe going over to PopStroke and playing some putt-putt. Feeling pretty hot right now, so I might take a little bit of money off my caddie, you never know.”

Despite a runner-up finish at The Panama Championship in February and a third-place finish at the Magnit Championship in August, Meissner found himself struggling on most weekends throughout the season – including at the LECOM, where he followed the 59 with pedestrian scores of 69-70 for a T16 finish.

“I was making a lot of cuts but just really struggling on the weekends,” said Meissner. “There was never a lack of love for the game, but those were some hard times.”

Golf, however, is a love-hate sport and Meissner had an opportunity at the final event of the season to play for a PGA TOUR card. Meissner found himself entering the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in 35th place on the points list, just five spots outside the coveted top 30.

The pressure was on, and there were moments of despair, such as a heartbreaking three-putt par on the par-5 third hole Friday afternoon that nearly brought him to tears. Yet Meissner was able to channel that energy effectively, closing with back-to-back 68s for a T3 finish at Victoria National Golf Club that propelled him to No. 20 on the season-long Points List.

Meissner got his PGA TOUR card and proved why he belongs. They say to celebrate your work, and Meissner was happy to oblige.

“To go 8-under in tough conditions to get my TOUR card was pretty evident I belong somewhere,” said Meissner. “We celebrated right. It was pretty hard that next day; me and my fiancée changed our flight.”

Wherever Meissner displays his PGA TOUR card, it will certainly be for all to see, as it means so much to many people.

“Oh man, so many people,” Meissner reflected of those critical to his journey. “My parents (Katie and Kurt), first, have supported me through this journey; my dad has made so many sacrifices in his own life to watch and support my golf dream. Then my swing coach, Bryan Gathright, who has been with me for 14 years now, has been instrumental to the golfer that I am today. Lastly, my fiancée, she has been my biggest supporter.”

Thirty Korn Ferry Tour graduates will head to the PGA TOUR in 2024. Some are making their way back, while some will experience the thrill for the first time. Thirty new swings, 30 new personalities.

So, what exactly is the PGA TOUR getting in Mac Meissner?

“First, a guy that is going to work his tail off to get his name on leaderboards,” said Meissner. “And secondly, a steward of the game, that is going to be an advocate and example for junior golfers.”

One that has delivered under the highest level of pressure, as well.