David Mackey Signs With Bulldogs

David Mackey

David Mackey of North Oconee High School has signed a national letter of intent with the Bulldogs, according to an announcement by Coach Chris Haack.

Mackey will become a third generation Bulldog when he joins Georgia for the 2015-16 season. His grandfather, Gary Pleger, was a letterman for the Bulldogs in 1952 and 1953 and was a member of the 1953 SEC Championship squad. His mother, Cindy Pleger Mackey, is one of the most decorated female players in Georgia history. She lettered from 1980 through 1983, garnering both All-America and All-SEC honors and earning an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. She went on to a 13-year LPGA Tour career, winning the 1986 MasterCard Invitational by 16 shots, a margin-of-victory record that still stands today.

David Mackey plays under Coach Terry Tuley at North Oconee. He led the Titans to state team titles in 2012 and 2014 and he earned state medalist honors as a freshman in 2012. Mackey was chosen as the Class AAA Player of the Year in 2014 and twice has been picked as the Athens Banner-Herald's Golfer of the Year.

"David was a freshman when my son, Charlie, was a senior at North Oconee a few years ago," Haack said. "David shot a 65 and won the state title, and that got my attention real quick. He is a great kid. He's a hard worker and he's not afraid to set lofty goals for himself. Coming from a family of Bulldogs, he knows all about the history of success at Georgia, and I can tell he wants to do whatever it takes to continue that trend. We're excited about having him join our program."

Mackey won the 2013 Southern Junior and has 10 top-10 finishes in high-tier amateur events. In 2013, he was an Honorable Mention selection on the Rolex All-America Team.

• Scott Parel has advanced to the finals of the Web.com Tour Q School with his 17th-place effort at Southern Hills Plantation in Brooksville, Fla.

Parel ended the four-round event at 7-under 281, good enough for the one of the site’s 19 qualifying positions. Joey Garber was not as fortunate in Kingwood, Texas, as he took 21st at 8-over 296 and needed a top-18 finish.

This week, Paul Claxton and Adam Mitchell are playing in Panama City Beach, Fla.; Matt McQuillan is in Murrieta, Calif.; and T.J. Mitchell and Michael Cromie are teeing it up in Plantation, Fla.

The finals are set for Dec. 11-16 at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

• Parel is also competing in the Champions Tour Q School in Florida. Read about Parel's dual quest here.

• Junior Lee McCoy has accepted an invitation from the USGA’s International Team Selection Committee to participate in a practice session for the 2015 Walker Cup. The session will take place Dec. 17-20 at Frederica Golf Club on St. Simons Island, Ga. The 45th Walker Cup will be held Sept. 12-13, 2015, at Royal Lytham and St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England.

USA captain John “Spider” Miller, a Walker Cup competitor in 1999, emphasized that an invitation to the practice session does not guarantee selection to the 10-man team. He added that many players not included on the 16-man list for December will be in the mix during the final selection process.

“This is an insightful way to get to know these potential Walker Cup players in an informal setting and we have the opportunity to introduce them to the Match and its unique format,” Miller said. “The good people at Frederica Golf Club have offered us their fine facility to start on the process. We appreciate their hospitality.”

• Bryden Macpherson is playing this week in the Australian Masters at the Metropolitan Golf Club.