Amateur's $1.3M heartbreak + McNealy's clutch victory at RSM Classic

PLUS: How to get more distance out of your irons, who got thier card and who didn't, and more

In partnership with

Good morning. This is your Happy Valley Golf Team Monday newsletter. Let’s get it!

Looking to elevate your brand with a custom hat?

Don’t make it just any hat. Make it a Branded Bills hat.

Why? They make quality merch (especially hats) that people actually want to wear.

Don’t just take it from us, here is what one of their recent clients has to say:

“I think Branded Bills is memorable because it is more of a lifestyle brand for us. It’s not just employees wearing them to work or technicians wearing them out in the field; they're wearing them to bowling alleys, sporting events, etc, and they’re repping our brand which is exactly what we want.” Rebecca Ferguson, Empire CAT

Want some more? Get $200 off your first order over $1000 with the code NEWSLETTER.

If this is what you want (and we’re guessing you do), hit up Branded Bills.

Unsolicited Golf Tips

Deal of The Week

Picture this: There I was, squinting at the flag like a nearsighted squirrel looking for acorns, when everything changed thanks to the Callaway 300 Pro. This nifty little device vibrates when it locks onto flags (like a happy golf caddy doing a victory dance) and measures distances with scary accuracy up to 1,000 yards.

Got hills? No problem! The slope feature calculates adjusted distances faster than you can say "mulligan," though you can switch it off for tournaments to keep things legal. With 6x magnification and pin-locking technology, it's clearer than your conscience after admitting to that foot wedge in the rough.

The best part? It's water-resistant, so it'll keep working even when your excuses for that triple bogey have run dry. Just point, click, and boom - you'll know exactly how far you are from your next opportunity to three-putt!

Right now you can get the Callaway 300 Pro for 45% off!

McNealy Masters Nerves at RSM Classic, Clinches First PGA TOUR Win While Bubble Boys Battle for Cards

Maverick McNealy soared to his first PGA TOUR victory at the 2024 RSM Classic, delivering a nail-biting finish that had fans on the edge of their seats—and probably a few caddies biting their nails. McNealy, whose Stanford education clearly included a course in clutch performances, sank a birdie putt on the last hole to clinch the win at 16-under par. His 6-iron approach shot landed so close to the pin that it might as well have asked for its own room key.

Final Standings

In a finale that could rival any Hollywood script, Daniel Berger, Luke Clanton (an amateur with nerves of steel), and Nico Echavarria tied for second at 15-under. Both Clanton and Echavarria had their chances but found the final hole more slippery than a greased pig at a county fair.

Tour Card Drama

The RSM Classic was the last chance saloon for players aiming to secure their 2025 PGA TOUR cards. Here's who made it and who will be pondering "what ifs":

Secured Cards (Top 125)

  • Daniel Berger leaped from 127th to 100th, proving that sometimes it's okay to be fashionably late.

  • Joel Dahmen held onto his card with the tenacity of a golfer clinging to his lucky visor by shooting a final round 6 under.

  • Michael Thorbjornsen squeaked in at 120th, earning his spot and possibly a few grey hairs.

  • Henrik Norlander played like a man possessed, shooting a third-round 63 to sneak inside the bubble.

Missed Out

  • Kevin Streelman (140th) will have more time for perfecting his swing—or his golf cart driving skills.

  • Taylor Montgomery (137th) might consider taking up knitting in the off-season.

  • Kevin Tway (132nd) will be looking for redemption next year.

More on this below 👇

McNealy's victory not only earned him bragging rights but also an invitation to the Masters, a spot in the 2025 PGA Championship, and PGA TOUR status through 2026. Not bad for a weekend's work!

News You Need to Know

In a stunning finish at the CME Group Tour Championship, 21-year-old Jeeno Thitikul snatched the victory—and a whopping $4 million prize—from Angel Yin's grasp. The former World No. 1's clutch performance earned her the largest payday in women's golf history, nearly doubling her career earnings in a single day. But it's how she did it that will leave you speechless...

A mind-bending 69-degree lie angle, grips thicker than a baseball bat, and a mysterious curved face that defies convention—this rare look at Bryson DeChambeau's actual 7-iron reveals why his clubs are unlike anything else in golf. One of only three in existence, this unique iron left a PGA pro questioning everything he knew about golf club design...

Patrick Reed's historic 59 on Saturday set the stage, but it was his masterful Sunday performance that sealed a dominant victory at the Hong Kong Open. After a four-year individual title drought, Reed's return to the winner's circle included a spectacular four-birdie run that left the competition in awe. Find out how the former Masters champion turned "boring golf" into an unforgettable triumph...

Amateur sensation Luke Clanton came within one shot of making PGA Tour history at the RSM Classic, but while winner Maverick McNealy took home $1.3 million, Clanton's incredible performance earned him exactly $0. The story behind golf's most fascinating payday paradox...

From 165th to securing his Tour card, David Lipsky's miraculous FedEx Cup Fall run wasn't even the biggest story. See who made career-saving moves and whose dreams were crushed by mere decimal points in the season's most dramatic finish...

A LIV Golf insider reveals which two PGA Tour stars are having second thoughts about turning down massive Saudi offers. With the golf landscape shifting and merger talks ongoing, these players' decisions could prove costly...

Meme of the Week

What'd you think of this weeks edition?

Your feedback helps us create the best newsletter possible.

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Thanks for reading!

Enjoy your week,

Cody.