Why Alex Smalley and his ‘momager’ have a good feeling at the John Deere Classic

SILVIS, Ill. — When Alex Smalley rolled in an 8-foot, 2-inch birdie putt at the 17th hole to briefly take the third-round lead at the John Deere Classic, his mother jumped half that high in the air.

“Excitable” might describe the woman who travels the PGA TOUR with her 26-year-old son and answers to the title of “mom-ager.”

“I do his business stuff, I do his stats. That’s what I do when I’m texting all the time on the course,” Maria said after watching Alex complete a 9-under round of 62, the low round of the day by three shots and vault into contention at TPC Deere Run. “It helps to keep me focused so my head’s not racing and I’m not just going crazy. Gives me something to do.

“It’s exciting,” she said.

Alex, meanwhile, provides balance with equal measures of calm and cool.

“I’m pretty laidback,” said the 26-year-old, fifth-year pro. “Never really been one who searches for the spotlight or anything like that. I feel like I just kind of creep up on people. I like being that way.”

Smalley didn’t quite creep on Saturday. He vaulted up the leaderboard after starting the day seven shots off the lead. He finished in a three-way tie for second at 15 under, a shot back of leader Brendon Todd, who he’ll join in the final pairing Sunday.

“So, yeah, I feel pretty laidback,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll feel the same tomorrow.”

A comfort level with the TPC Deere Run layout might help. Smalley is making his third start at the John Deere, having made his first after Monday qualifying — with Maria as his caddie — in 2021. A T47 in that appearance helped him qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour finals, where he earned his PGA TOUR card.

He tied for 16th a year ago, and the Smalleys arrived in the Quad Cities this week with confidence that something even better might be in the offing.

“Oh, he loves it here,” the mom-ager said. “That’s why we came back. Third time’s a charm. That’s what I’ve been telling him. I just had a feeling about this one.”

Maria said she felt likewise at the 2022 Corales Puntacana Championship, where Alex held a share of the clubhouse lead on Sunday before settling for a share of second, his best finish on TOUR so far.

The Duke University graduate arrived at TPC Deere Run this week in the midst of a solid season that includes three top 10 finishes, six more top 25s and a 55th ranking in the FedEx Cup Standings. A T9 at the Travelers Championship two weeks ago included a second-round, career-low 62 that he matched today.

Maria was a little less sure early in Saturday’s round about her feeling when her son missed the second fairway well right. But he found a lie in the tall fescue, knocked it inside 4 feet and made an eagle.

“It was unbelievable,” the mother reported. “I mean he was 4 under his first four holes, but missed three fairways. The next two he hit the fairway and made pars so I started rooting for him to miss fairways.”

Smalley managed to miss five more fairways, but still hit 16 of 18 greens in his bogey-free round.

Perhaps it’s best that Maria’s role is limited to that of “mom-ager.” His caddie is Don Donatello, a veteran TOUR looper who flew from Orlando on a moment’s notice to take Alex’s bag after he played his way into the 2021 Deere. He has been a calming influence ever since.

Maria had caddied for her son in every professional start prior to that, but it is easier for all concerned that she watches from outside the ropes. “She’s a mom, right?” Smalley said. “Any mom is going to get excited. She’s been on the highs with me and on the lows.”

Maria said she can’t help but get emotional as she watches her son achieve a dream of playing on TOUR he announced from his bedroom doorway at the age of 9.

“It only hits me every now and then,” she said. “Last year at the (Genesis) Scottish Open, I was walking down 16 and I just started crying. Oh my God he’s on the PGA TOUR.’ Every now and then I get that feeling.”

She’s not sure how she’ll respond should Alex achieve a PGA TOUR victory on Sunday.

“I’ll be on edge all day,” she said.