Matt McCarty clinched the Black Desert Championship with a final round score of 67 (-4), marking his third PGA Tour appearance.
After graduating from the Korn Ferry Tour as the 2024 champion, he had minimal experience in top-tier US golf but confidently outperformed seasoned competitors.
Going into Sunday, he led by two strokes over Stephan Jaeger, Joe Highsmith, Kevin Steelman, and Harris English. With five holes left, McCarty’s lead shrank to one stroke. But then came his amazing eagle on the par-4 14th hole. He hit a perfect 3-wood shot that rolled up to just four feet from the hole .
Header Text: McCarty’s Major Moves
Winning in front of his dad was special for McCarty, who now has spots at three of the four Majors in 2025; only The Open Championship isn’t confirmed yet. Climbing to 47th in world rankings boosts his chances of qualifying for it too.
297 yards to 3 feet 😤@MattMcCarty21 sticks it on the drivable par-4 14th @BDChampionship.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR)
Reflecting on his recent success after Sunday’s win—his fourth victory in ten starts across both tours—McCarty said, “Yeah, I feel good. I don’t know. It’s been an unbelievable last few months for me.” Fans might think this is just the beginning of something big for him.
He added that playing well today was all he wanted and acknowledged how tough it was with all those emotions and nerves involved.
His quick rise puts him alongside legends like Bob Gilder and Seve Ballesteros as one of the fastest players to secure a PGA Tour win by their third start. Only Garrick Higgo and Jim Benepe achieved wins faster than McCarty did.
Now holding a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, he’s also become the first player since Jason Gore in 2005 to claim victories on both tours during their promotion season.
What do you think about McCarty’s incredible journey?
