Senior golfer Mac McGee to receive Challenge Man of the Year honour at U.S. Senior Challenge
The 72-year-old amateur, who founded McGee Drilling Corporation, will be presented with the award next week at the tournament where he has competed numerous times.
Mac McGee, a 72-year-old senior amateur golfer from Midland, Texas, has been named the Challenge Man of the Year for senior amateur golf. The award, which is presented annually to an individual whose life has been exemplary in family, business, and golf, will be formally conferred upon McGee next week at the U.S. Senior Challenge.
McGee has been a consistent presence in the amateur golf circuit for four decades. While he declined to quantify the exact number of tournaments he has entered, noting only that it has been "a lot," his competitive record includes significant achievements at both the club and national levels. He is a five-time club champion at Midland Country Club and the winner of the 2012 Porter Cup.
His national qualifications include appearances in two USGA championships. McGee qualified for the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur at the age of 60 and subsequently competed in the U.S. Senior Amateur as a 70-year-old. In both instances, he was among the oldest competitors in the field, demonstrating his ability to maintain a competitive standard against younger players.
Beyond his athletic pursuits, McGee has had a long-standing career in the energy sector. He has worked in the oil and gas industry since 1978 and established McGee Drilling Corporation in 1990, which he continues to operate. His early sporting focus was actually on basketball and football, attending Texas Tech on a basketball scholarship before golf became his primary lifelong pursuit.
The recognition highlights McGee’s reputation for composure and respect on the course. He credits his father for instilling these values after an incident at age 10, when McGee threw a golf club in frustration and was subsequently disciplined. McGee stated that maintaining composure when playing poorly is a key challenge of the game and a significant part of his contribution to the sport.
Reflecting on the honour, McGee expressed humility, noting that he does not actively seek such accomplishments. "I think that it’s really nice to be recognized by your peers," he said. "You just go and you play the game and enjoy it and try to pass something on... I’m just really honored and humbled by it."
This report is based on coverage originally published by Golfweek and sourced via Yahoo Sports.
