February 16, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF
Playing in the Genesis Invitational after receiving the Charlie Sifford Exemption given to a deserving minority golfer as chosen by the Tiger Woods Foundation, Willie Mack III is making his second career start on the PGA TOUR — and second in just four weeks.
Mack’s life is on the fast track and gaining momentum and the 32-year old Flint, Michigan native couldn’t be happier. He’ll tee off this week during the Genesis Invitational at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California.
Mack’s success has come from years of devotion to the game, hard work, and forgoing luxuries like sleeping in a hotel room, opting instead for 18 months of a vagabond life, parking his Ford Mustang in hotel parking lots to get a few hours sleep while playing the mini-tours in Florida.
Mack’s pursuit of his pro dream is finally seeing the light. Making it through those hard times seems to have made him a better person, and a better golfer.
Fast Forward to today, a long eight years later. His goal is to be atop the leaderboard at Riviera.
Should Mack achieve a top-10 finish, he would make it into the next TOUR event. But if that doesn’t happen, he’ll return back home to Orlando hopefully still energized.
For now, Mack’s two-year sponsorship agreement with Farmers Insurance will help cover his expenses on the Florida Professional Golf Tour, where he leads the money list. He also plays on the Advocates Pro Golf Association Tour, a non-profit that seeks to bring more diversity to the game.
