Denny McCarthy secures fully exempt PGA TOUR status

In a Sunday chalk-full of drama near the bubble of The Finals 25 money list, a stellar final-round 65 by Denny McCarthy moved the University of Virginia alum to the top spot on the four-tournament order of merit. McCarthy captured the Web.com Tour Championship by four shots over Lucas Glover, and with Sangmoon Bae not in the field this week, McCarthy jumped from No. 11 to No. 1 by just over $37,000. McCarthy finished 149th on the FedExCup standings in 2017-18, but didn’t finish outside the top-15 in any of the four Web.com Tour Finals events, going T5-T9-T13 in the three tournaments leading into this week’s finale at Atlantic Beach Country Club. “I just did what I’ve been doing the last three or four months now. I’ve been playing some really good golf of late,� said McCarthy. “I’ve been knocking on the door for quite some time, and what better way than to finish it off with a win this week.� With the victory, and with the top spot on the Web.com Tour Finals money list, McCarthy earns full status for the 2018-19 PGA TOUR season, as well as a spot in THE PLAYERS Championship. Bae moved to second on the Web.com Tour Finals money list, while Robert Streb, Peter Malnati, and Cameron Davis – who finished tied for third at Atlantic Beach CC – rounded out the top five. McCarthy said he’s been doing “so much work� behind the scenes, and complimented his great team for how “tremendous� they’ve been throughout the last year, after moving to 23 under with his 6 under performance on Sunday. He admitted he was aiming to get to 24 under in the final round, but he got the job done despite an early bogey on the par-4 second hole. McCarthy missed nine cuts in 22 PGA TOUR starts this year – his best result was a solo fourth at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship – but he’s already looking forward to getting back out on TOUR. “I’m going to be much better suited having played all these places once this past year and getting some tournament rounds on those places,� he said. “It’s really tough to get out there and play great golf. You’re just not familiar with the course … you’re just not as comfortable with where to miss it off the tee and into the greens. “I’ve played all four of these (Web.com Tour Finals courses), so the combination of really good golf I’ve been playing plus course knowledge, got me a win here.�

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