University of Georgia Athletics
NCAA Championship Preview & Q&A with Mookie DeMoss
May 26, 2015 | Men's Golf
Be sure to see how Georgia Golf is preparing heading into NCAA's.
May 26, 2015
By John Frierson
UGAAA Staff Writer
ATHENS, Ga. -- The Georgia men's golf team headed down to Bradenton, Fla., on Monday. The Bulldogs' destination: The Concession Golf Club, site of the NCAA Championships.
After a rough start to the San Diego Regional last week at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Sante Fe, Calif., the Bulldogs got hot in the final two rounds and earned a top-five finish -- placing fourth -- to earn the right to play for a national championship this week. Georgia was 10 shots out of fifth place after the first round before shooting a combined 13-under during the final two rounds.
Bulldogs senior Mookie DeMoss took a few minutes Saturday for a phone interview to chat about what the late/great Dan Magill likely would have dubbed the "Rancho Rally" and a great deal more:
Frierson: I feel like we have to start with the name Mookie, which is pretty fun to say. Is that a nickname or did mom and dad look at you the day you were born and say, he looks like a Mookie?
DeMoss: That is a nickname. My granddad named me that when I was born and it stuck. It's all I've known. My real name's Arthur Mark DeMoss, but I've gone by Mookie since I was born, so it's all I've ever known.
Frierson: So when you got in trouble around the house, did your parents call you Arthur or was that Mookie, too?
DeMoss: It's Mookie all the time. My parents, my sisters, my teachers -- I wouldn't know to answer to Arthur or anything else.
Frierson: You guys staged an incredible comeback after that opening round at The Farms. What exactly changed from round one to rounds two and three?
DeMoss: I don't necessarily think anything changed. I think it was just a few guys had a rough day there and the course was playing pretty tough in round one. If you weren't hitting it well it was easy to put up a few big numbers.
After round one, nobody was disheartened or lost faith. Everybody was still having a great attitude and we went out to dinner that night as a team and we were all laughing and having a great time. Then we went out and played a good round two and three.
Frierson: What's the best or most memorable shot you've ever hit? Is there one that stands out because of the circumstances or because it was as perfect as you've ever hit a shot?
DeMoss: Maybe the tee shot on No. 18 at Pebble Beach, the last round (Georgia won The Carmel Cup at Pebble Beach to start its season in August). I knew we were in the lead and needed to finish strong coming down the stretch. That's a tough tee shot at 18 at Pebble Beach and I hit a good one.
Hopefully my very best one is yet to come, maybe (at the NCAAs).
Frierson: Which have you watched more, "Tin Cup" or "Happy Gilmore"? Or is there another golf movie that you like?
DeMoss: I've watched "Happy Gilmore" more. That movie is hilarious and it's probably the golf movie that I've watched the most.
Frierson: Was there a defining moment or tournament when you realized that you could play this sport at a really high level?
DeMoss: There wasn't really a defining moment. I think pretty early on in my college career I kind of made a decision that (playing golf) was what I wanted to do and that my goal was to play at the next level. And I've been working toward that ever since.
I don't think there was really one moment that really hit me, but a week before (the San Diego Regional) I went and did the PGA Tour Canada Q (qualifying) school up in Canada, as an amateur. I played OK and got conditional status on the tour for when I'm done with the NCAAs, so that was encouraging, to know that I feel like I can play with those guys.
Frierson: What does conditional status mean?
DeMoss: It means that you're not guaranteed to get in the first few events, but you might get in a tournament here or there. There were 132 players (at the Q school) and the top 18 are exempt for the first six events, and the top 40 and tied get conditional status. I finished (tied for) 34th, I think. So when I'm done with NCAAs I'll just have to sign up and depending on who's playing that week, I may or may not get in.
I'll hopefully get a few starts and keep playing.
Frierson: If you could acquire or borrow one shot from a teammate -- putting stroke, long-iron play or whatever -- what would it be?
DeMoss: Oh man, can I borrow one from each guy? I would acquire Lee McCoy's flop shot; he's got a crazy 10-finger flop. I would acquire Sepp Straka's slice 3-wood; he can slice a 3-wood like 150 yards, it's crazy.
I would acquire Greyson Sigg's driver off the tee. He hits it dead straight. And I would acquire Zach Healy's knock-down shot in the wind; he's got a really good knock-down shot.
Frierson: What's your food guilty pleasure, whether it's something at a local restaurant or available everywhere?
DeMoss: I love Taqueria del Sol in Athens. I actually had it for lunch today.
Frierson: I know the place very, very, very, very well. What do you get there?
DeMoss: Fried chicken tacos, the Memphis taco and the chips and queso and guacamole.
Frierson: If you could play any other sport for the Bulldogs, what would it be?
DeMoss: I would have to say football, just because there's nothing like it here. But realistically, it would be basketball. I played basketball in high school and love basketball. It would be one of those two.
John Frierson is a staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Hall of Fame at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. Follow him on Twitter: @TheFrierson and @ITAHallofFame.
Players Mentioned
