Scott McNealy is the uber-successful co-founder and former CEO of Sun Microsystems. He is reportedly worth $1 billion and has discussed his innovative ideas at conferences worldwide and on national TV.
He says he doesn't get nervous in front of the cameras, but when he's caddying for his 18-year-old son, Maverick, he's sweating bullets.
"I can get on national TV and it doesn't faze me at all," Scott told the San Francisco Chronicle after working at a U.S. Open qualifier in which the younger McNealy earned a spot at Pinehurst, "but I'm a wreck out here."
Ready for longest day in golf w @13maverickm pic.twitter.com/xlex5SAgQz
— Scott McNealy (@scottmcnealy) June 2, 2014
Scott will have to get his act together because in one week he'll be walking the greens with his son on what will be the most pressure-packed tournament of Maverick's young career. Fittingly, the U.S. Open takes place over Father's Day Weekend.
The elder McNealy isn't a bad golfer in his own right. He played at Harvard and has participated in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He's even topped Golf Digest’s list of the best CEO golfers. He taught Maverick, a Stanford freshman, the game in their backyard.
Scott, also a hockey buff, says his son's experience in junior hockey helped him tremendously with golf. According to the Chronicle, Maverick played hockey through high school and won two state titles with the San Jose Junior Sharks.
"When you've had a 200-pound guy from Saskatchewan try to put you through the boards, a 4-foot putt doesn't scare you," Scott said.
Scott McNealy won't be the first father to caddie for his amateur son at the U.S. Open. In 1998 Peter Kuchar carried the clubs for his son Matt at Olympic Club. That weekend was Father's Day as well as the younger Kuchar's birthday.
"It's probably the biggest highlight for me," Matt has said, reflecting on the experience, "walking on every tee and having Happy Birthday sung and dad getting 'happy Father's Days' at every tee box."
(H/T to Eye on Golf)
