Outbursts were a common sight for McMahon in 2019
October 7, 2019 by Bennett Wineka in News with 0 comments
Sharp-eyed viewers during the third round live coverage of the United States Disc Golf Championship may have noticed Eagle McMahon shaking his right throwing hand after missing a putt on hole 16. McMahon self-inflicted a “boxer’s fracture,” a bone break near the knuckle, by slamming his fist into the ground following the miscue on 16. Still, it was a surprise to hear the announcement on Saturday morning when McMahon arrived to the course with his hand wrapped, especially because he would continue playing the final round.
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Unfortunately for McMahon, the hampered final round at the USDGC while still in contention was only the issue du jour. While the hand fracture may be the most extreme result of an outburst, McMahon has made a habit of emotional reactions this season. If 2018 was McMahon proving he had what it takes to win Majors, 2019 showed us McMahon has not fully learned how to harness the competitive drive that lives within him.
We saw a hat stomped on at the Glass Blown Open as McMahon went for the hero shot on hole 18 of the final round. There was the elbow drop at the Portland Open. The ground punch at USDGC was not new, it just finally came back to bite McMahon.
There’s no winning from a player’s perspective. We want the authentic reactions yet are ready to critique them as unprofessional or unbecoming. The real test comes from how you respond to those moments, even more so when they’ve been caught on tape.
McMahon has handled this part extremely well. He’s given interviews addressing the outbursts and owned up to what he’s done on the course. His Instagram post following USDGC was a prime example of how to talk about the uncomfortable.
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“The whole episode I had is not something I am proud of and there is nothing I can say to justify it,” McMahon said. “I got what I deserved from the action I portrayed and the only thing left I can do is acknowledge and learn from this mistake. I see this as the most embarrassing and biggest lowlight in my professional disc golf career thus far, but I believe that I will look at this in the future as a critical turning point in not just my disc golf career but life in general.”
McMahon is still young, having just turned 21 this season, and is already one of the best and most consistent players on tour. He is also one of the most grounded. It takes a lot to admit when you’re wrong, and 2020 can be another big year for McMahon if he channels his energy in the right direction.
