FEDEX ST. JUDE CHAMPIONSHIP

August 16, 2026

Maverick McNealy

TPC Southwind

Quick Quotes

Q. Two years ago you were here and ended up on the wrong side of the bubble. How do the emotions compare this time knowing that you're probably on the right side of things?

MAVERICK McNEALY: Much happier trip not going to the airport and just driving a car up the river.

I had a little taller task last time around. I think I had to shoot 7 and ended up shooting 6, but I was really proud of that back nine grind. A lot of good -- a lot of similarities. Last year -- or two years ago I was in the front right bunker to the same pin on 16 and I holed it, and I think I lipped out of the bunker shot this year. Then hit two great shots on 17, holed that putt, and I just lipped that one out. But I was really proud of the swings I made coming down the stretch today.

Q. You talked yesterday about having a concrete target in mind for a score. Did you adjust that at all either entering the day or as the round progressed?

MAVERICK McNEALY: I started looking at leaderboards on that back nine. I knew I needed a couple. The one on 12 was great. I felt like I played out of the first cut the entire day today, just good tee shots that just trickle through when these fairways get firm. It's really hard to hit it close, but it was nice to get that putt to go on 12, which was a bonus.

Then last three holes, just hit the center of the club face a lot, and that put me in a good spot.

Q. How much of a leaderboard watcher are you, or is that circumstance of this week?

MAVERICK McNEALY: Definitely looked a lot on the back nine. I was talking to Scout walking up 18, do we need a 3, or is 4 going to be okay? That definitely adjusted my target about five yards further to the right, and I hit a happy pull like two yards left of my target and was in a great spot.

Definitely a couple of the shots and strategy on that back nine come into account when you look at leaderboards.

Q. You buried 8 and then immediately bogeyed 9. What's the process for you regrouping, especially knowing it's such a big round for your career?

MAVERICK McNEALY: I've had a lot of -- there's been a grind this year, a challenge, some challenges on the golf course for sure. Just knowing that I can shoot 2-under par and still get everything I wanted out of this year to a certain degree is exciting.

I knew that 16 was a good birdie or eagle pin if you hit a good tee shot and just had to play smart on a couple holes. When that putt went in on 12, that gave me a lot of momentum.

Q. Obviously a bit of a different scale having your job secured, but is there any sort of Q-School vibe this week with being on the bubble?

MAVERICK McNEALY: I think the top 50 number is probably the most important number on the PGA TOUR right now. I'm excited to get to St. Louis and just take a Hail Mary swing to see if I can get into the TOUR Championship, which is the goal every year.

Yeah, I'm really proud of -- with all the challenges on the golf course this year, really proud of being able to grind out top 50.

Q. Can you expand on the importance of that cutoff?

MAVERICK McNEALY: First of all, you want to play against the best players in the world. Those are the guys you grew up watching on TV. You want to play at the highest level, and that's what these Signature Events are. I want to play against guys like Scottie and Rory and all those guys.

Secondly, being able to pick your schedule is so important. It's something that basically 50 guys get to do is know what they're playing in starting January 1st. That just makes your life so much better and so much more predictable.

That's going to get fixed in 2028, but I'm really excited for that part of it.

Q. What are the logistics right now? Did you have two flights?

MAVERICK McNEALY: I had an American airlines flight booked back home to Vegas, and Scout is going to extend his rental car, and we're going to drive up the river tomorrow morning. So I'm very happy to be canceling that flight tonight.

Q. You mentioned 2028. How much more comfortable and confidence do you have knowing you can pick your schedule in such a pivotal year next year?

MAVERICK McNEALY: Definitely. Most of those Signature Events are some of my favorite events of the year. I think about AT&T at Pebble, I think about RBC at Hilton Head, Quail, Doral -- like there's so many fun tournaments I just wouldn't want to miss. Really excited to play those events more than anything.

At this point in my life, I'm so fortunate to get to do what I do. I just want to play the coolest golf tournaments on the planet.