SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — When the Farmers Insurance Open gets underway next week, Willie Mack III will be in the field on a sponsor exemption. While Mack isn't a household name in the golfing world, his career has progressed thanks to the APGA Tour.
This tour was formed in 2010 to help prepare minority golfers to compete at the highest level.
"That tour has definitely gotten better over the years. When I first started out, they only had four or five tournaments, and now they have 17, including here at Torrey Pines," says Mack.
Mack has won 15 times on the APGA Tour, but it hasn't been easy. Early in his career, he says he faced and conquered many challenges.
"After turning professional, my second year playing was rough. That is when I slept in my car for a year while on tour. However, I just never gave up, and my dad always told me that when you start something, you never give up on it," he says. "That advice was in the back of my head the whole time I was going through some bad situations."
Mack has certainly relied on his dad's advice, and next week, he will tee it up at the Farmers Insurance Open for the second time in his career.
"The first time I played, it was sort of an unfortunate situation, as I got into the field at the last minute. I got here on a Wednesday, and the tournament started on Thursday. This time, I have more preparation and more experience," he says.
Playing in the Farmers is just a small step towards Mack's ultimate goal of becoming a regular on the PGA Tour.
"My plan is to just keep playing well and try and get my game right for qualifying school at the end of the year. I want to play well next week," says Mack.
