The University of Mississippi Athletics
Catching Up With Callum Macaulay
10/6/2010 | Men's Golf
Oct. 6, 2010
By Kim Ling
Associate Athletics Media Relations Director
Former Ole Miss golfer Callum Macaulay said at the beginning of his senior season he wanted to lead the Rebels back to the postseason before his career ended. He accomplished that, helping the team advance to the 2007 NCAA East Regional.
Following a successful collegiate career, Macaulay returned to his native country of Scotland to pursue his dream of playing professional golf. He continued playing in amateur tournaments winning the Scottish Golf Union Order of Merit in the fall of 2007 and earning Scottish Golfer of the Year.
In August of 2008, Macaulay won the Scottish Amateur Championship and later helped lead Scotland to the World Team Amateur Championship.
You know the old saying "strike while the iron is hot." Macaulay had to decide between staying an amateur to play on the Walker Cup Team the following year or turn pro.
"The guy who was the Walker Cup captain at the time had told me I was going to be on the team the next fall. I went to Tour school with a relaxed attitude and had nothing to lose. I knew if I didn't get my card, I was going to be playing in the Walker Cup the following year," Macaulay said. "I went out and tried to enjoy myself. I finished T18th and got my card, and it was just unbelievable. I couldn't believe I was going to be playing with the big boys so soon after being an amateur. It was awesome."
Macaulay was the only amateur in the field in 2008 to qualify for the European Tour and the only one to make the cut in the final stage.
For many players, it's a difficult journey to get to the highest level in golf. Some players make it big right away and others tool around on the mini tours.
"It's very difficult. I think the mass perception is that there is not much difference in amateur golf and professional golf. That couldn't be further from the truth," Macaulay said. "The standard is unbelievable. The mistakes you can make in amateur golf, you just can't do that at the professional level. The guys are so good, they don't make those mistakes. Any slight mistake you make, you're losing so much ground. It's a completely different world altogether.
"When I turned pro, obviously I jumped straight into the deep end. I didn't realize how good the guys really are. The very first tournament I played in South Africa, I shot 1-under for my first round as a professional. I was absolutely over the moon with it, and then I got in and some guy had shot 11-under. So I was 10 shots behind now. I thought `I'm going to have to pick it up.'"
Macaulay played 23 events on the main tour in 2009; however, he finished 134 on the Race to Dubai, just missing out on his card for 2010. He had three top 12 finishes including a second place finish in the Madeira Islands Open, where he shot 28 on the back nine on Sunday only to miss out by a single shot from Argentinean Tano Goya.
Determined, Macaulay returned to Tour School to try and regain his card for 2010. Unfortunately he missed it by one shot. This year Macaulay has had full status on the Challenge Tour and also played in several European Tour events. He says the biggest difference between amateur golf and professional golf is the short game.
"The standard in ball-striking from the top of amateur golf to professional golf is not that different. But the short game is a hundred times different," he said. "There are so many guys who don't hit it that well. But, when they miss the green, they get it up and down. If you have a short game, you're going to make a lot of money. That's the bottom line."
Macaulay took a break from the tour last week to come back to Oxford and visit his college coach (Ernest Ross) and friends.
"Oxford has a special place in my heart, and it always will," Macaulay said. "From the moment I got here, I absolutely loved it. I love all the people and the family atmosphere. I've been away for two years. I came back, and I've seen a bunch of people that I hadn't seen since. It's like you just left them yesterday."
With technology, Macaulay is able to keep up with many of his former teammates and friends from college, while he is across the pond. Occasionally he gets to spend time with them.
"I try to keep in touch with a lot of them; Facebook is obviously good for that. Lucas Boyd (2003, 2005) and I talk about four or five times a week. He and I are still best friends. My fiancé and I went to Dallas in October of last year and went to a Cowboys game with him and saw the new stadium. We'll probably be best friends our whole life, because we've got so much in common."
A lot has happened with the program since Macaulay graduated, including renovations to the golf course and a new short-game practice area for both the men's and women's teams. The future includes the addition of an indoor/outdoor hitting facility.
"It's awesome. Coach Ross has done an amazing job. He's got great ambition, and I think it's carried over to the team and the facilities," Macaulay said. He came here with a plan, he knew what he wanted to do, and he's managed to do it. He's a really positive person, and if he wants something done, that's what he'll do. The golf course changes are great as well. The nice thing about the course is it has fast greens. If you can putt on fast greens, you can putt on just about anything. The (driving) range and the short-game area are exactly what you need."
After a short break, Macaulay is back in Europe gearing up for the conclusion of the 2010 season and getting ready to try and regain his Tour card.
"I have four big tournaments coming up at the end of the season. Obviously my main goal is to get my Tour card back. It was pretty tough at the end of last year. I want to get my card back and keep it," Macaulay said.
This past weekend, the 2010 Ryder Cup was contested at Celtic Manor in Wales. Macaulay hopes one day to be playing in the event instead of watching it on TV.
"I set a goal to play in the Ryder Cup in 2014 at Gleneagles, when it was announced a few years ago that it would be there. It's only 20 minutes from my parent's house. That's the ultimate goal."
He's played with United States Ryder Cup member Rickie Fowler a few times. A year ago, he was competing in the Australian Masters with the likes of Tigers Woods. Macaulay is living his dream of playing professional golf and is excited for the future. "I just have to get better and see where it takes me. I am enjoying every minute of it. It's what I've always wanted to do."
