When Matt McCarty hits the fairway these days, folks take notice—and not just because of his sunny persona. At 6 feet tall with sandy blond hair, the young athlete exudes a natural boy-next-door charm, politely chatting with passers-by and patiently waiting while other players take their shots. Instead, it’s his expert command of the ball and clubs that draws attention.
The 27-year-old left-hander makes winning look easy. One of only 13 golfers ever to receive a three-victory promotion from the Korn Ferry Tour to the PGA Tour in a single season, McCarty recently won his first PGA event in the same year, taking the Black Desert Championship in Ivins, Utah, and securing spots in the PGA Championship and the Masters.
“It’s pretty crazy. It’s the pinnacle of the sport, so it’s a surreal thing. Watching it on TV, and now it’s a possibility as opposed to a dream,” he says.
McCarty is now the 49th top-ranked player in the world. Not bad for a self-described “late bloomer.” Growing up in Scottsdale, the young athlete played a variety of sports: baseball, football, basketball. Golf was just a fun summer activity that he would share with his dad and grandfather.
It wasn’t until he hit high school—McCarty graduated from Desert Mountain High School in 2016—that he started to find success in the game, winning junior championships and eventually leading the school’s team to a No. 1 ranking. A golf scholarship took him to California, where he studied finance and got a master’s degree in marketing from Santa Clara University.
McCarty turned pro after graduating in 2021. A year later, he earned Korn Ferry Tour status (golf’s equivalent to baseball’s minor leagues). And this month, he’ll be making his debut in the WM Phoenix Open, which takes place Feb. 3-9 at TPC Scottsdale.
We sat down with the young phenom to learn more about his love for the sport and his hometown.
Why do you love golf?
Honestly, I like being outside and walking around and the camaraderie of playing with other people. But at the same time, it’s a very solitary game. You spend much of time by yourself working on something. You’re not only playing against everybody else but also always yourself. You’re playing against what you’ve done in the past and always challenging yourself to do better.
What are your favorite Valley courses?
I grew up playing Junior Golf, Arizona Golf Association stuff all over the Valley. There’s a lot of good places. There are so many good private courses in North Scottsdale, but there’s also great public places like Papago (Golf Club in Phoenix), Southern Dunes (Golf Club in Maricopa) and We-Ko-Pa (Golf Club in Fort McDowell). But I think my favorite course is Troon Country Club. It’s fun, it’s tight, and they used to have the Arizona Open out there.
Do you have any golf icons?
My grandpa played football at ASU, and my mom went to ASU, so I grew up in a big Sun Devils family. So Phil (Mickelson), obviously, because we’re both lefties, and we went to school there. And then there’s Tiger (Woods). Just growing up in that age of Phil and Tiger—they were kind of the two best players. But there’s also a lot of guys who aren’t that much older than me, as well. I really like watching (Jordan) Spieth a lot. His games are really fun to watch. He seems like a pretty good guy but also not super serious.
But I’m just trying to soak up as much information from everybody as possible. That’s something going into 2025 that I’m definitely excited about—being around all the other people who are Top 50 players in the world and seeing what they’re doing and just observing. It will be very beneficial.
Are you looking forward to playing in your first WM Phoenix Open?
I’m very excited for that week. We did standard bearing as kids, so I’ve been out there inside the 16 while the tournament’s been going on. [Standard bearers are young volunteers who carry signs that indicate a golfer’s score and pairing for each hole.] But to be out there playing in it, in an event that I grew up with, with lots of family and friends supporting me—it’s going to be pretty crazy!
When you’re not on the road, what do you like to do?
This past year, I spent 29 weeks—more than half the year—traveling. So it’s nice to take a break. When I’m home, I usually take it pretty easy and like to chill and spend time on the couch. My girlfriend and I like to hang out and go to restaurants around the Camelback and Arcadia areas. We also like to hike. We’ve hiked Camelback a ton and a bunch of places up north. And, of course, ASU football games. Scottsdale will always be home for me.
Photographed at Camelback Golf Club, 7847 N. Mockingbird Lane, Scottsdale
"To be out there playing ... in an event that I grew up with ... it’s going to be pretty crazy!"
"You’re not only playing against everybody else but also always yourself. You’re playing against what you’ve done in the past and always challenging yourself to do better."