“I really liked the challenge of trying to take my game to the next level,” says Joe MacNeil, who shone at Missouri school
Joe MacNeil of Orillia is making a name for himself south of the border, playing golf against some of the best golfers on the planet in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
At the age of 11, MacNeil began playing golf under the guidance of professional teacher Terry Smith at the Barrie Country Club and later at the Hawk Ridge Golf Club.
Smith said, from the first swings of the young man, he knew that MacNeil would become a star.
“It was always a natural talent. I saw it right away, “said Smith.
“If he were interested in the game, he would have had some opportunity to do great things.”
MacNeil was not only interested in the game, but soon became his love and passion.
After only a year of honing his skills with Smith, MacNeil began participating in local competitions such as the Pepsi Future Tour and the Bay Area Golf Series.
“I started to become competitive with golf and wanted to continue practicing. From then on, I developed a record to try to improve more and more, “said MacNeil.
MacNeil dominated the local circuit. In 2016 he won four of the six Pepsi Future events and was ranked in the top 50 at the Canadian Under 19 Junior Championships.
MacNeil, a graduate of Patrick Fogarty’s Catholic secondary school, attributes his first successes to his coach who initially taught him the game and the course that became his class.
Terry (Smith) has been very influential in showing me how to practice my short and long game. He showed me the details of golf and Hawk Ridge was the perfect place to develop my game. They have a fantastic structure there, “said MacNeil.
MacNeil’s winning ways on local tours meant a promising future.
To try to elevate his game to the next level, MacNeil started training with Canadian PGA golf coach Jeff Overholt, who linked the young star to NCAA coaches in search of new talent.
After discussions with multiple NCAA schools, MacNeil decided to bring his talents to Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri, a division II school that offered him a scholarship to play on their team.
“It was an excellent experience. It’s a different atmosphere from what I was used to, and it’s much more competitive, “said MacNeil.
“I really liked the challenge of trying to take my game to the next level.”
While MacNeil was adapting to the toughest competition and high pressure atmosphere quickly, during his rookie season he would have ended in a tie for the 28th place in the NCAA championship, and was the highest ranked golfer in Lindenwood.
In his second year, the nineteen took his game to another level, winning the Kentucky Wesleyan Fall Invitational, turning a 133 round at two, 133, 11 at par. MacNeil has been named the player of the week at the Great Lakes Valley Conference, which was the first time ever that a Lindenwood player has earned honor in men’s golf.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MacNeil’s second year season was abruptly discontinued.
MacNeil will return to office for a year to play Lindenwood, where he plans to stay for the next three years of his career. Once MacNeil has completed his three years of college, he will have to decide if he wants to continue playing golf professionally.
“This is what I’m working on right now. It’s a good goal to have it in your head, “he said.
MacNeil knows that the way forward for him will present difficult challenges and fierce competition.
“It will take constant work to try to improve every day and not lose sight of my goal. I have the resources to go pro and really test my game against the best players, “he said.
The MacNeil head coach also believes that the sky is the limit for the talented young athlete.
“You can take it as far as you want. He definitely has the skills, ”says Terry Smith.
