When you think of household names in golf, stars like Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, and Xander Schauffele come to mind—guys with multiple Major titles and PGA Tour wins to their names.
But in the same generation of U.S. collegiate golfers, there’s another name worth knowing: Michael Maguire.
His journey hasn’t been as fast or as flashy, but his recent win at the Black Mountain Championship on The International Series in Thailand shows that perseverance and determination can be just as rewarding as early fame.
Maguire’s victory over rankings leader John Catlin at Black Mountain Golf Club was a momentous achievement for the 31-year-old golfer, but it was no overnight success.
He had been on a long road, one filled with different tours, missed opportunities, and plenty of lessons.
Unlike Thomas and Spieth, who turned pro and quickly made their mark, Maguire has taken a slower path—but it’s a path that’s now leading him to bigger things.
“I did four years at the University of North Florida, where I was a four-time All-American and had three college tournament wins, so I had a lot of success,” Maguire recalled.
“I was seeing guys like Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, turning pro immediately and winning on the PGA Tour.
And I thought, okay, I’m not that far behind these guys. I was confident I’d be there with them. But it didn’t work out that way.”
Maguire turned pro in 2015 with high hopes but quickly learned that success doesn’t always come easy.
“Looking back nine years later, it wasn’t where I expected to be or where I wanted to be when I came out of college,” he said.
“But I was young and immature. I look at those guys and see how much more disciplined and mature they were. I didn’t have the work ethic I do now.”
After turning pro, Maguire saw limited success, winning one PGA Tour Latinoamerica event, the Shell Open in 2020, and stacking up several top-10 finishes.
However, after a season on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022, his struggles with putting and confidence cost him his tour card. Missing Q-School by just one shot, it looked like another door had closed.
But then, a chance to play on the Asian Tour opened up—thanks in part to a tip from a former college teammate, Scott Vincent, who had found success on The International Series and secured a spot in the LIV Golf League.
“We played together in a couple of college tournaments, and I saw how he got into the LIV Golf League. I thought, ‘This might be a good path for me,’” Maguire explained.
With a love for travel already sparked during his time on the PGA Latinoamerica circuit, Maguire embraced the opportunity to take his game to Asia.
It wasn’t instant magic, though. His best finish before last week’s win was a T4 at the International Series Vietnam.
But everything changed at Black Mountain. Maguire’s win didn’t just boost his ranking; it launched him from 77th to 5th in The International Series Rankings and 4th on the Asian Order of Merit.
His season earnings jumped to $440,930 after pocketing a cool $360,000 in Thailand. Now, he’s got his sights set on catching Catlin and other top players as he hunts for a spot in the LIV Golf League.
“I think now that I’ve won, I have expectations,” Maguire said. “I think I have to do the best I can to catch John. He’s still ahead in the rankings, so I need to chase the wins.”
So, what’s Maguire’s secret sauce? How did he turn things around? Turns out it wasn’t anything flashy—it was pure grit.
“I basically put my foot down and said, if I really want to get to the elite level, I’ve got to work harder, put in more hours.
And that’s exactly what I did,” Maguire explained. “I just put in more effort, got more focused.”
It’s a simple formula, but one that’s clearly paying off. Maguire’s season has been building momentum—he grabbed a T25 at the International Series England, followed that up with a T16 at the Mandiri Indonesia Open, then a solid T7 at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. And let’s not forget the big one, his playoff win in Thailand.
Now, Maguire’s story isn’t your typical fast track to stardom like some of his college buddies.
Instead, it’s been about grit, learning, and sticking with it when things didn’t go his way.
But with the wins starting to roll in, people are starting to notice. He’s proof that, while some journeys take longer, they can still end in success.
For more information on The International Series, visit www.internationalseries.com.
