Will MacKenzie
Encyclopedia
William Ruggles MacKenzie (born September 28, 1974) is an American
professional golfer
who has played on the PGA Tour
.
MacKenzie was born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina
. He was a golfing prodigy growing up but burned out on golf at age 14 and completely quit the game after high school. While in high school, MacKenzie was an all-state kicker as well as a standout soccer player but grades and test scores prevented him from receiving any scholarship offers. After a semester at a local college, Will took the money he earned washing dishes and selling grilled-cheese sandwiches at Grateful Dead
concerts and moved out west. After a while working for Taco Bell
in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, he spent the next five winters snowboarding while living out of a van in Big Sky, Montana
. At one point, he spent 30 days living in a snow cave near Valdez, Alaska
without showering and snowboarding the Chugach Mountains
, before ending up with frostbite
. During the warmer months, he climbed rocks, and became a class V kayaker
before working as a rafting guide in Montana
and its Gallatin River
, West Virginia
and its Gauley River
, and rivers around North Carolina
. He returned to Greenville, North Carolina in 1999, making enough money selling Christmas trees to embark on a three month surfing trip to Costa Rica
. Unfortunately, when he returned home and tried to make a living selling hammocks, he ended up in huge debt. However, a glimpse on television of his boyhood idol, Payne Stewart
, winning the 1999 U.S. Open
rekindled his love affair with the game, and he decided to play professionally. He turned pro in 2000.
MacKenzie played on several mini-tours shortly after turning pro. He played on the Golden Bear Tour
in 2003 and finished ninth on the money list. The next year (2004), he played the Hooters Tour
and finished third on the money list with three wins. He also played on the Nationwide and Canadian Tours
. 2005 was his rookie season on the PGA Tour. His first win came in 2006 at the Reno-Tahoe Open
in his 47th career start on the PGA Tour
. He won the 2008 Viking Classic in a three-way playoff on the second hole over Marc Turnesa
and Brian Gay
.
MacKenzie currently resides in Jupiter, Florida
with his wife, Alli, and their son Maverick Noah.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who has played on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
.
MacKenzie was born and raised in Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina...
. He was a golfing prodigy growing up but burned out on golf at age 14 and completely quit the game after high school. While in high school, MacKenzie was an all-state kicker as well as a standout soccer player but grades and test scores prevented him from receiving any scholarship offers. After a semester at a local college, Will took the money he earned washing dishes and selling grilled-cheese sandwiches at Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
concerts and moved out west. After a while working for Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, he spent the next five winters snowboarding while living out of a van in Big Sky, Montana
Big Sky, Montana
Big Sky is a census-designated place in Gallatin and Madison counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Montana. This unincorporated community straddles the two counties, is not considered a town, and has no town government. The primary industry of the area is tourism.Big Sky is...
. At one point, he spent 30 days living in a snow cave near Valdez, Alaska
Valdez, Alaska
Valdez is a city in Valdez-Cordova Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,020. The city is one of the most important ports in Alaska. The port of Valdez was named in 1790 after the Spanish naval officer Antonio Valdés y...
without showering and snowboarding the Chugach Mountains
Chugach Mountains
The Chugach Mountains of southern Alaska are the northernmost of the several mountain ranges that make up the Pacific Coast Ranges of the western edge of North America. The range is about 500 km long, running generally east-west. Its highest point is Mount Marcus Baker, at , but most of its...
, before ending up with frostbite
Frostbite
Frostbite is the medical condition where localized damage is caused to skin and other tissues due to extreme cold. Frostbite is most likely to happen in body parts farthest from the heart and those with large exposed areas...
. During the warmer months, he climbed rocks, and became a class V kayaker
Whitewater kayaking
Whitewater kayaking is the sport of paddling a kayak on a moving body of water, typically a whitewater river. Whitewater kayaking can range from simple, carefree gently moving water, to demanding, dangerous whitewater. River rapids are graded like ski runs according to the difficulty, danger or...
before working as a rafting guide in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and its Gallatin River
Gallatin River
The Gallatin River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 120 mi , in the U.S. states of Wyoming and Montana...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and its Gauley River
Gauley River
The Gauley River is a river in West Virginia. It merges with the New River to form the Kanawha River, a tributary of the Ohio River. It is one of the most popular advanced whitewater runs in the Eastern United States and is the chief feature of the Gauley River National Recreation Area.-Headwaters...
, and rivers around North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. He returned to Greenville, North Carolina in 1999, making enough money selling Christmas trees to embark on a three month surfing trip to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. Unfortunately, when he returned home and tried to make a living selling hammocks, he ended up in huge debt. However, a glimpse on television of his boyhood idol, Payne Stewart
Payne Stewart
William Payne Stewart was an American professional golfer who won three majors in his career, the last of which occurred only months before he died in an airplane accident at the age of 42....
, winning the 1999 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
rekindled his love affair with the game, and he decided to play professionally. He turned pro in 2000.
MacKenzie played on several mini-tours shortly after turning pro. He played on the Golden Bear Tour
Golden Bear Tour
The Golden Bear Tour was an American third-tier professional golf tour.The tour existed from 1996 through 2005, when it purchased by the Gateway Tour. It was run by the 'Golden Bear', golfing legend Jack Nicklaus....
in 2003 and finished ninth on the money list. The next year (2004), he played the Hooters Tour
NGA Hooters Tour
The National Golf Association Pro Golf Tour is a developmental men's professional golf tour in the United States. It includes approximately twenty 72-hole Pro Series events and three 54-hole Qualifying School Prep Series events each year throughout the US South and Midwest. The NGA Pro Golf Tour...
and finished third on the money list with three wins. He also played on the Nationwide and Canadian Tours
Canadian Professional Golf Tour
The Canadian Professional Golf Tour is a men's professional golf tour headquartered in Oakville, Ontario. It was formally started in 1970 and was initially known as the Peter Jackson Tour....
. 2005 was his rookie season on the PGA Tour. His first win came in 2006 at the Reno-Tahoe Open
Reno-Tahoe Open
The Reno-Tahoe Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in northwestern Nevada. Founded in 1999, it is an alternate event played annually in August at the , located midway between Reno and Lake Tahoe. Opened in 1997, the par-72 course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and plays at ; its...
in his 47th career start on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
. He won the 2008 Viking Classic in a three-way playoff on the second hole over Marc Turnesa
Marc Turnesa
Marc Turnesa is an American professional golfer who has played on the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour. He is the grandson of Mike Turnesa, one of seven well-known golfing brothers of the early 20th century....
and Brian Gay
Brian Gay
Joseph Brian Gay is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.- Early years :A military brat, Gay was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but was raised primarily at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where his father was a U.S. Army noncomissioned officer involved in flight operations...
.
MacKenzie currently resides in Jupiter, Florida
Jupiter, Florida
Jupiter is a town located in Palm Beach County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,328. The estimate population for 2009 is 50,606. As of 2006, the population had grown to 50,028, according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research....
with his wife, Alli, and their son Maverick Noah.
PGA Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aug 27, 2006 2006 PGA Tour The 2006 PGA Tour was the last season of the PGA Tour before the major reorganization of the season brought about by the introduction of the FedEx Cup in 2007. After being challenged by Phil Mickelson in the first half of the year, when Mickelson won his second straight major at the Masters and was... |
Reno-Tahoe Open Reno-Tahoe Open The Reno-Tahoe Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in northwestern Nevada. Founded in 1999, it is an alternate event played annually in August at the , located midway between Reno and Lake Tahoe. Opened in 1997, the par-72 course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and plays at ; its... |
1 stroke |  Bob EstesBob Estes Bob Alan Estes is an American professional golfer.Estes was born in Graham, Texas and reared in Abilene, Texas. He first played golf at age 4 and decided to become a professional golfer at age 12. Estes attended the University of Texas from 1984–1988, and was a member of the golf team... |
|
| 2 | Sep 21, 2008 2008 PGA Tour The 2008 PGA Tour season ran from January 3 to November 9. The season consisted of 49 official money events. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the European Tour. There were also five unofficial events played in November and... |
Viking Classic | Playoff | Brian Gay Brian Gay Joseph Brian Gay is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.- Early years :A military brat, Gay was born in Fort Worth, Texas, but was raised primarily at Fort Rucker, Alabama, where his father was a U.S. Army noncomissioned officer involved in flight operations... , Marc TurnesaMarc Turnesa Marc Turnesa is an American professional golfer who has played on the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour. He is the grandson of Mike Turnesa, one of seven well-known golfing brothers of the early 20th century.... |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
T57 | DNP | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
See also
- 2004 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2004 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 35 players who earned their 2005 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2004.*Players in yellow are 2005 PGA Tour rookies.-2005 Results:T = Tied...
- 2005 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates2005 PGA Tour Qualifying School GraduatesThis is a list of the 32 players who earned their 2006 PGA Tour card through Q School in 2005.*Players in yellow are 2006 PGA Tour rookies.-2006 Results:T = Tied...