Viewpoint: Where there’s this Will, mundane is not the way

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By Craig DeVrieze | Monday, July 14, 2008 |

Will MacKenzie acknowledges after parring the eighth hole Friday at the second round of the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill. MacKenzie shot a 64 to put him 13-under par. (Andrew Link/QUAD-CITY TIMES) Buy this Photo

SILVIS, Ill. — Will MacKenzie has consulted an army of psychologists, but rest comfortably assured golf’s freest spirit isn’t looking to button up and fit in on the buttoned-down PGA Tour.

Even the impending birth of the freshly married, former snowboarding bum’s first child isn’t likely to make MacKenzie’s curious and frolicking journey through life any more mundane.

“I don’t want to grow up too much,” the 33-year-old North Carolinian told a room of middle-aged and, oh … let’s just say well-rounded John Deere Classic media. “I’ll have a pot belly or something.”

Belly laughs, of course, ensued.

Typically, they do when MacKenzie steps up to a microphone to share as interesting a story as has come down the JDC pike since an over-the-moon Mac O’Grady was singing “Moon River” refrains a decade ago.

O’Grady, remember, was an infamous ruffler of feathers, but that is not even remotely Willy Mac’s style.

He tickles funny bones, instead, with a manic, breath-of-fresh-air mindset that has seen him take residence in snow caves in Alaska, beach hammocks in Costa Rica, and, as of Friday, atop the leaderboard at TPC Deere Run.

“He is,” Aaron Baddeley confirmed of a suggestion that MacKenzie is different from virtually any player on Tour. “That’s what makes him great. Unique. You always know where he is because he is not the quietest guy around. He’s funny.”

MacKenzie didn’t quite know what to think when asked how he is received in Tour locker rooms. He considers himself a friend to all, and, if not, he jokingly said, “I’m going to fight them.

“I don’t know,” he added on further reflection. “All the dudes like me fine. They’re down. Everybody from Phil Mickelson to the friggin’ the Q-Schoolers.”

At the moment, the 2006 Reno-Tahoe winner is attempting to avoid returning to the ranks of the latter come December.

Fighting back from an injury-enforced two-month layoff and parked a distant 215th on the ’08 money list, MacKenzie said he’s found himself playing mind games on the fairways of late.

To combat that this week, he consulted pre-tourney with noted sports psychologist Gio Valiante, who recommended he become more target focused in those moments when his fertile imagination crowds his mind with thoughts, swing and otherwise.

“I can’t tell you,” MacKenzie said when asked what crosses his mind in such moments. “I don’t know what I think about. Sometimes I think about golf. I think about frigging bad things. You think about winning, or you think about losing. … I think about (Tour media official) Stewart (Moore). What we’re going to have for dinner. Just the normal deal.”

Normal, of course, really is not MacKenzie’s deal, and that is something he normally is OK with, except on those occasions when his on-course thinking needs an adjustment.

He’ll concede, though, that his psyche isn’t always coachable.

“I have talked to every psychologist out here,” he confessed. “They’re good. They’re nice guys.

“But it is one those things that it comes right in here,” he said pointing to his right ear, then making a sound reminiscent of wind through a snow cave, and finally pointing to his left ear, “spins around and goes right out the other. It is tough to implement the basic stuff.”

More and more, MacKenzie’s thoughts turn to the impending birth of his son. He said he wants a healthy baby, of course. But if you think he’s thinking entirely normal father-son thoughts, think again.

“I’m ready to go,” he said. “I’m ready to hit batting practice and throw grounders, just hit nasty little bounces to my kid and watch him take it in the chest just like I did.’’

Yup. He’s ready for the next chapter.

“I’ve lived my life,’’ he said. “I’ve played hard. I’ve played real hard.”

And if his child chooses to live likewise?

Perfect.

“Whatever, man,” he said. “I hope he goes out and does a little journey, at least. Everybody’s got to do a little journey. Whatever it is, I don’t want him to be cookie cutter too much.”

Hardly a likely result for the offspring of golf’s least mundane man.

Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com.