Player's Journal: Denny McCarthy on Heading Home, and Always Improving

*In Partnership with Titleist | As Told To Doug Milne

Being at last week’s BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club is both significant and sentimental. Before elaborating on that, I’ve got a detail to set straight which has always bugged my mom.

Media guides have me listed as hailing from Takoma Park, MD. Technically, that’s true, but only in the sense that the hospital I was born in was in Takoma Park. I was raised in Rockville.

Even though I now call Jupiter, Florida home, having somewhat of a “home game” last week was special. Sentiment aside, being there meant I’ve played well enough this season to qualify for the 50-player field.

One way I soaked that in was by going to the Baltimore Orioles game Tuesday night against the Mariners. And we won't caught up in such details as to who won. I digress. This is about being a golfer.

As you might imagine, I have a lot of family and friends in the gallery this week. I’ve also fielded lots of inquiries about managing a “home game” in my own “backyard.” While it’s true in a sense, Rockville where I grew up is about an hour away with no traffic. But, there’s always traffic, so I stayed in a hotel nearby.

I came in excited for the week. Anytime you can play in (or near) the area where you grew up is special. I’ve had the chance to do it a few times, with TPC Potomac a few years back.

I’m excited to see friends and family, but with one of my biggest goals being to make it here, I still have a job to do. At No. 38 in the FedExCup standings, and only the top 30 advancing to the TOUR Championship, I can into the week relaxed, but knew I'd have to keep my head down and focus on golf. It hasn’t been distracting or difficult, because I haven’t been pulled in too many directions. For the most part, it has been business as usual.

Denny McCarthy on the 11th green during the final round of The Genesis Invitational 2025 at Torrey Pines Golf Course ahead of his T5 finish, his highest finish of the season. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)

As far as my personal history at Caves Valley, there weren’t many tournaments here when I was growing up. I’d only been there three to four times and not within the last 10 years. It has been redone, so it’s essentially a new course for me. I didn’t qualify for the event four years ago here, so I had a lot to learn about last week.

Despite not having a ton of history here at Caves Valley or it being a true “home game,” making it here this week has made me aware of not only how far I’ve come, but how family made that journey possible for me. They’ve been my biggest support system.

My parents used to drive me to all the different tournaments growing up. Plus, my brother, Ryan, is my biggest fan. He’s three years older than me and has been very involved in my life, especially the golf part of it. He’s also a really good player. He played for Loyola University in Baltimore, so he really understands the game, how hard it is and how difficult traveling week-to-week is. He has been a great one to bounce ideas off of, as have my parents. They’re all huge supporters and there’s no way I’d be here without them.

Denny McCarthy prepares to play a shot on the tenth green during the first round of the 2025 Masters. McCarthy plays a Titleist Pro V1 on tour and is seen here playing a 2013 Scotty Cameron Circle T Putter. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

As far as handling my end of the journey and playing my way into this the BMW Championship, I’ve got to say I’m proud of the way I have battled this year. It hasn’t been my best golf ever, but I’m encouraged by the way I stuck it out. I never gave up and that continued last week as I tried to play my way into East Lake. I’m proud of my perseverance and determination.

I think the best chance for success is largely contingent on my “kid mentality” to have fun. Granted, it’s easier said than done, but when I can free myself up and get into that place on the course, I play my best.

If I could do one thing better, it would be having better success getting into that kid mentality of playing free. That’s what led me to fall in love with the game early on. I was playing free with buddies growing up, laughing and having fun, visualizing shots and being artistic. So, if there’s one thing I could change about my approach to competition, it would be to free myself up more.

Denny McCarthy during the second round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

One recipe I’ve found for success on the golf course is what I do off the golf course.

When I’m not grinding it out here, I love spending time with my wife, Samantha, and our dog. We’re fortunate to live in a nice place close to the beach in Jupiter. I like waking up early in those off weeks and heading to the beach. Samantha joins me a lot with our dog. It’s a great, relaxing way to decompress from golf. It recharges the batteries and keeps me excited to get back to competition. It helps with balance and rhythm and allows me to find the best version of me and my golf self when I’m in competition. I’d go as far as saying I live two separate lives.

I do like to stay active. I’m not just sitting at home or on the beach. I do stuff in the gym, shoot hoops and play ping pong or throw darts with buddies. Doing things like that helps keep my hand-eye coordination sharp. It even keeps me competitive and in that reactionary state. I see a target, I point and shoot.

So, it’s great being back in this area with so many family members, friends and of course, my wife. Samantha gets to about half of my events with me. She works in real estate, which is going well. So, all things considered, we’re in a good spot in life right now…even though the Orioles lost Tuesday night. Looking forward to next year and moving into that coveted to 30 to punch my ticket to East Lake.