Willie Mack III’s heartwarming reaction to earning Torrey Pines exemption is a must-see

Former HBCU standout Willie Mack III continues to battle, hoping to become a full PGA Tour member soon.

He currently has a halfway decent chance of doing so. This week, Mack III is competing in the second stage of PGA Tour Q-School, hoping to finish among the top 15 at the Hammock Beach Conservatory in Palm Coast, Florida. He carded a 1-under 71 on day one, which put him in a tie for 14th and one shot above the cut line.

Three more sub-par rounds should advance him to the final stage of Q-School next week in Ponta Vedra Beach, which is only an hour up the road from where he is playing now. Easier said than done, however.

But before teeing it up in the second stage of Q-School this week, Mack III sat down with the PGA Tour social team. He thought he was sitting down for an interview about Q-School and all of the stress and pressure that comes with it.

Yet, he was pleasantly surprised, and the video is a must-see:

Upon receiving this news, Mack III could not help but become emotional. Despite having 70 professional wins across various mini-tours, Mack III has made only nine career PGA Tour starts. He has played in the Farmers Insurance Open before, doing so in 2021, but unfortunately missed the cut.

Many of his victories came on the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) circuit, which aims to bring greater diversity to golf. But Mack III has always aspired to play consistently on the PGA Tour, and thanks to Farmers Insurance, he will have another opportunity to do so next month.

“I am honored to receive this exemption to participate in the Farmers Insurance Open for the second time in my career,” Mack III said.

“This season has been life-changing for me professionally and personally.”

Mack III made his major championship debut at the U.S. Open this past June, making it into the field through a 3-for-1 playoff in final qualifying. Unfortunately, he missed the cut at Pinehurst No. 2 but turned in a solid 1-over 71 on day one. His back nine on Friday, in which he carded a 7-over 42, ultimately sealed his fate.

But now the former Bethune-Cookman Wildcat has a chance to redeem himself over the next few weeks in Q-School and at Torrey Pines in January. His game has continued to improve since then, as evidenced by the strides he has made already in Q-School and a few more wins he has picked up on various mini-tours. And who knows, if he continues to play well enough, perhaps he will secure a PGA Tour card, too.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.