Chip McDaniel (bdG Sports Photo)
He thought he left a “few shots out there” but overall former University of Kentucky golfer Chip McDaniel was satisfied with his 5-under par 67 in the opening round of the Unbridled Tour event at the University Club.
“I made a few good saves coming in,” said McDaniel, who is tied for fourth going into Wednesday’s second round and three shots off the lead.
McDaniel, a 2018 UK graduate from Clay County, won an Unbridled Tour event in Richmond earlier in his pro career.
“I have known these guys putting on the tournament and always want to support them because they have had my back,” McDaniel said. “I have also probably played 1,000 times on this course at the University Club. Then I also got to sleep in my own bed at home for a change. All that factored into me giving it another week before I shut it down.”
He’s been playing on the Korn Ferry Tour while working toward his goal of getting on the PGA Tour. The pandemic stopped golf — like every other sport — but McDaniel was glad his sport started back sooner than most.
“It has been different but it wasn’t bad like the NBA bubble. We were not away from everybody outside of the golf world,” he said. “It wasn’t that bad overall for us. I played all the Korn Ferry events. It was fun and I am glad the PGA and Korn Ferry came up with the make-shift schedule they did for us.”
McDaniel has always had success on the golf course. He’s a two-time Kentucky State Amateur champion and won three events during his UK career. He qualified for the 2019 U.S. Open and made the cut. In one of his first pro events he tied for fifth overall in the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship to earn over $100,000. He’s played in the Barbasol Championship in Lexington twice on the PGA Tour and made the cut each time.
McDaniel says he’s happy with what he’s done since turning professional. He knew how difficult the pro golf lifestyle would be — and it has been that hard or maybe harder.
“It’s not like I was expecting to walk right out and get on the PGA Tour,” he laughed and said. “I feel I have got better every year and that’s something to hold my head up over.
“But this is something most people don’t understand unless you give it a try. There are so many good golfers. There are not a lot of opportunities for everybody to accomplish their dreams. Nothing is guaranteed. That along with the travel are the hardest aspects of professional golf. Even if you travel with buddies you are still alone quite a bit. Then if you do make it, you have still got to play well because nothing is guaranteed.”
