Winthrop golfer
Nick Mayfield proved Thomas Wolfe was wrong. You can go home again, and head coach
Kevin Pendley is glad he did.
Mayfield, who started his college career at South Carolina, has been a key player for the Eagles and helped lead Winthrop to it's first ever Big South Conference championship and a berth in the upcoming NCAA Regionals May 13-15 at Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Bolstered by a final-round 63 in stroke play, Mayfield finished tied for first with High Point's Fred Roberts IV. In doing so, the Rock Hill High School graduate became to first Eagle to finish at the top of the leaderboard since Kyle Christman in 2002. His 54-hole total of 9-under 204 in the championship was the lowest in school history.
But none of that would have been possible if the 2022 South Carolina Amateur match play champion, hadn't got a little homesick.
Foll
owing a stellar high school career where he was a two-time all-state selection, Nick signed with South Carolina even though he had been heavily recruited by Pendley.
"Like most kids I wanted to get away from home," Nick said,
He played in two events as an individual as a freshman and three as a sophomore.
"It just wasn't a good fit," he said. "I definitely didn't feel at home. My goal has always been to play professional golf and I knew I needed more playing time."
He entered the transfer portal in the Fall of 2021 and expected to stay in Columbia until the 2022 season.
"Actually, my coaches encouraged to me to make the change before the spring semester because I'd be able to play immediately."
So Nick had to act fast.
"I had from like mid-November to December to make a decision," he said.
During that time, he talked with Winthrop, East Carolina, and Francis Marion.
"Deep down inside I wanted to come back home," Nick said. "I had known
Kevin Pendley all my life and we had a great relationship. I was just comfortable with everything."
For one thing, the Eagles practiced at the Rock Hill Country where his parents are members and he's played countless rounds. In fact, it was on that course that he won the amateur match play title.
Winthrop went into the BSC championship seeded second and took on Radford in the first semifinal match.
"We had lost in the semifinals the previous two years so my thinking was if we can get past that mental block we could do something special," Nick said.
Winthrop knocked off the Highlanders in the morning and Gardner-Webb in the afternoon to make history.
So, what does Nick think heading into the regionals.
"Obviously it's going to be a challenge with the caliber of teams that will be there," he said.
Nick was asked how he would view the season if the Eagles don't fare well in the regionals.
"It's the first time we're going in school history, so that makes the season a great success," he explained, "But our mindset is we have an opportunity to make it better."
When Winthrop's season does end, Nick will take his next step to make his dream of pro golf come true. He'll try to earn status on the PGA Americas Tour later this month.
"I'll be going to a qualifier in Florida," he said. "If I finish in the Top 10 I'll earn full status and if I finish 11th through 25th it's conditional status."
