PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Denny McCarthy splits the middle of the fairway on the first hole at TPC Sawgrass, confidently picking up his tee before the ball reaches its apex.
His second shot lands eight feet short of the pin, spinning back another couple of feet. He pours the 10-foot putt in the middle of the hole for a Tuesday practice round birdie before hitting additional chips and putts in preparation for The Players Championship, one of the premier events of the PGA Tour season.
“I’m the most encouraged I’ve been in a while,” McCarthy told The Baltimore Sun on the second tee at TPC Sawgrass.
The Rockville native, who has three Maryland Open titles (2010, 2013 and 2015) and two Maryland Amateur (2013 and 2024) victories to his name, has yet to win on the PGA Tour since reaching the highest level of professional golf in 2018. But he’s knocking on the door of his first professional triumph, finishing as runner-up twice in the past two seasons. He’s made the cut in all six starts this season to go with three top-25 finishes and one top 10.
“With my driving and my approach play, I think everything is in a really good spot right now,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy’s putting has been a constant. He’s finished in the top 25 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting in all seven seasons on the circuit, including five finishes within the top five.
He’s a world-class putter, but his driving and approach play once held him back.
In 2020-21, McCarthy ranked outside the top 150 on tour in strokes gained off the tee and approach. Through his first six events this year, he’s 31st on tour in approach play, which puts him ahead of stars such as Rory McIlroy, Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay.
“He’s become a great ball-striker,” said Brian Creghan, McCarthy’s swing coach who began working with him four years ago. “I think he really believes that and is showing it. I wouldn’t necessarily say he was always that, particularly with the longer irons.”
McCarthy has worked on moving his body more efficiently through the swing to both help prevent injuries and better hit the ball. He regularly works with James Spencer, a chiropractor and movement coach based out of Florida, where McCarthy now resides. The process has paid off for the former University of Virginia star, who dealt with hip and lower back pain at times this past season. He’s generating more speed in his swing, which helps with long iron and driving performance. He feels better, too.
“In actually making sure he was swinging in a way that wouldn’t harm those areas, we made him even more efficient, and now he’s going faster,” Creghan said.
McCarthy’s swing isn’t the same as the powerful lash of McIlroy, who averages 326.7 yards off the tee and leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee, but McCarthy’s average swing speed of 113.6 mph would set his career-best mark on the PGA Tour if he maintains it through the season. He’s driving the ball an average of 297.8 yards, which is slightly below the PGA Tour average of 302.2 but well up from when he averaged 290.8 yards off the tee during the 2018-19 season.
“I wouldn’t say I’ve necessarily gone to chase speed, but the stuff that I’ve done in the gym, it’s helped me move my body more efficiently,” McCarthy said. “I’ve felt the load and the pressures in my feet and how I’m transferring my energy and weight a lot better. That just naturally gave me some more clubhead speed.”
Improved iron play and distance gains allow McCarthy’s strengths — wedge play, short game and putting — to put him in contention to win tournaments. He held the first-round lead at the Genesis Invitational earlier this year before finishing fifth.
McCarthy has a good history at TPC Sawgrass, finishing 13th in 2023 and 35th last year. The Valero Texas Open is also looming on the calendar with an April 3 start date. That’s where McCarthy finished 18th in 2022 and second in 2024.
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Creghan believes it won’t be too much longer before McCarthy reaches the winner’s circle.
“Denny’s a winner at basically everything he does,” Creghan said. “If you want to go shoot hoops with him, play ping pong, anything with a ball and hand-eye coordination, he’s pretty much gonna beat you. Golf’s hard. There are a lot of people out here who are really, really good, and you’ve got to beat 155 other people some weeks. I think it’s just a matter of being patient.”
McCarthy isn’t putting too much pressure on himself to secure the first win of his career, but he feels close to breaking through after a pair of near wins in each of the last two years.
“I know what it takes,” McCarthy said. “I really like the path I’m on. Keep doing what I’m doing, keep putting myself in that situation and hopefully knock the door down soon.”
McCarthy tees off at 12:56 p.m. on Thursday in the first round of The Players Championship.
Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at [email protected], 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin.
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