Defending City champ has no regrets not getting to be a Lobo
Patrick McCarthy said he never received a response to an email he sent to University of New Mexico men’s golf coach Glen Millican about possibly playing for the Lobos. But McCarthy is OK with that.
McCarthy, a former St. Pius High standout, is happy after two years at Division II Missouri Western State. Still, McCarthy said it was “definitely cool” to win last year’s Greater Albuquerque Men’s City Championship and break a threeyear streak of UNM golfers winning the event (Sam Saunders, 2014; Sean Carlon, 2015; Gustavo Morantes, 2016).
“(Millican) does a lot of international recruiting; it’s fine,” said McCarthy, who won the Class 5A individual state championship and led the Sartans to the team title his senior year in 2016. “I would have loved to play for UNM, but also I don’t think it would have been a good fit for me. I’m happy with the decision I made, to get out of the state and see a different part of the country.”
McCarthy is back in Albuquerque to defend his title at the 77th annual event that begins Friday at Ladera Golf Course. Saturday’s second round is at Los Altos, and the final round is Sunday at Arroyo del Oso.
McCarthy, 20, is quite familiar with Arroyo. He grew up playing there and for the past seven years, he’s worked there, including this summer.
“I used to practice there at Arroyo all the time when I was a kid,” said McCarthy, who shot 10-under-par 206 to win the City by one stroke last year. “I got to know (professional) Casey Coontz very well . ... I love working at Arroyo. It’s definitely a huge part of my golf. The support from the people working there is huge.”
McCarthy puts his City championship at the top of his wins thus far. His name was added to a prestigious list that includes four-time winner Notah Begay III, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour; five-time City champion Ray Cragun, Terry Dear, Verne Stewart and twotime PGA Tour winner Tommy Armour III, who is playing in this weekend’s U.S. Senior Open.
“It definitely meant a lot to win that tournament in my hometown,” McCarthy said. “It meant a lot to my family, too, especially my dad, Bob.”
McCarthy said the victory was also special because of the competition in the championship flight of talented local golfers, including current and former Lobos.
McCarthy completed a strong sophomore year at Missouri Western State, posting three individual wins and four top-five finishes as the Griffons’ No. 1 player with a 72.63 perround average. He was named to the NCAA Division II PING All-Central Region Team after leading his team to its first regional appearance in more than 10 years. He also earned first-team All-Mid-America Interscholastic Athletic Association honors.
“I definitely want us to win our conference this year,” McCarthy said. “I want to make it to nationals as a team and individually. I want to keep improving my game. I know it’s a process. I need to improve every tournament, improve every day. I feel like if I keep doing what I’m doing and listening to the people I need to listen to, I can get to where I want to be.”
McCarthy said he plans to play in the U.S. Amateur qualifier at UNM Championship Golf Course on July 9-10. He is scheduled to go back to Missouri on Aug. 2. The MWS men’s golf team works during the Kansas City Chiefs training camp on its campus.
McCarthy, who last year met quarterback Alex Smith and coaching intern Michael Vick, will be on the grill. He hopes to be reminiscing about a second straight City championship while flipping burgers for Chiefs fans.