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GREENSBORO - Who knows where South African golfer Andrew McLardy might be living had he missed that putt 10 years ago? The south of France? London? Maybe even back home in South Africa. McLardy was looking at all those places when he went house hunting last year.

Instead, the ball rolled and rolled and rolled that day before tumbling into the cup, sealing McLardy's fate.

These days, McLardy lives in Greensboro. Not exactly France or England, but here's the rub: Looking back, McLardy wouldn't have it any other way.

"It's funny how things happen in life," says McLardy, who lives in Sunset Hills and will compete in this week's Wyndham Championship under a sponsor's exemption. "If I didn't make that putt back then, I don't know where I'd be living."

Follow that putt in reverse and it takes you back to 1998, when McLardy was 24, a young South African golfer trying to find his place in professional golf. McLardy had shown up in Greensboro that summer trying to qualify for the Greensboro Open, a Nike Tour event at Sedgefield Country Club.

The Nike Tour, now known as the Nationwide Tour, was the minor leagues for golfers trying to advance to the next level, the PGA Tour.

McLardy slipped into the Nike event after making his lengthy birdie putt on the final hole.
There was just one problem: He needed a place to stay for the week.

Actually, there was no problem at all. A few weeks earlier, Don Dempsey had told Nike officials he would open his Sunset Hills home to any golfer needing a place to stay. McLardy called Dempsey that night.

Dempsey said he had a hard time understanding McLardy's thick South African accent.

"When I hung up, my wife Michelle asked me who was on the phone," Dempsey said. "I told her, 'I think it was a golfer and I think he's coming to the house.' "

Sure enough, McLardy showed up that night, clubs in hand. He and Don Dempsey hit it off instantly. Dempsey even gave McLardy the keys to his car so he could get around Greensboro.

"Who gives a complete stranger their car keys?" McLardy recalled this week. "Especially a stranger who hadn't done much driving on the other side of the road. He was just the most friendly, generous person I'd ever met. It was like we'd known each other for 10 years already."

McLardy went on to play on the PGA Tour for four years living in a spare bedroom in the Dempseys' house before losing his card in 2004. He's played overseas in the years since, remaining close with the Dempseys all the while. Dempsey has even caddied for McLardy in a few tournaments.

So when it came time for McLardy to buy a house last year, it wasn't a surprise that he narrowed his list to France, England, South Africa ... and Greensboro.

"There's just something I like about this place," he said. "I wasn't crazy for Florida and the weather there. I just had a lot of nice memories about (Greensboro)."

McLardy's decision was made a lot easier when Dempsey called him last year and told him the house next door to his on Ridgeway Drive was for sale.

McLardy checked it out on the Internet, but he didn't really need to.

The house was fine. Nice layout. Big kitchen. Shady back yard. But there are some things even a house listing can't show.

"It had great neighbors," McLardy said. "It's nice to come home to people you know."

Last month, McLardy's friends and neighbors in Sunset Hills began lobbying Wyndham Championship Director Mark Brazil to give their friend a spot in this week's tournament at Sedgefield.

Tournaments draw most of their players from the PGA Tour, but are allowed to offer eight spots to anyone they choose through sponsor's exemptions.

On Sunday, Brazil called McLardy and asked him if he'd like to play.

"I couldn't believe it - I still can't," McLardy said. "It's such a wonderful thing they're doing for me."

Brazil said he'd never heard of McLardy until the golfer's friends began pummeling him with e-mail, asking (in some cases, begging) Brazil to let McLardy into the field.

"I must have gotten 100 or more e-mails," Brazil said. "Every morning there were five or 10 waiting for me. They all told me what a nice guy Andrew is and they were wrong. He's even nicer in person."

This week, the two neighbors will be at the Wyndham Championship together. McLardy couldn't think of anyone better to be his caddie.

"Don knows me. He knows my game," McLardy said.

McLardy wants to pursue his PGA Tour card again this fall in Q-School. He's determined to make golf his career, and he wants to do that in America. But no matter where golf takes him, one thing is certain.

"I'm not moving anytime soon," he said. "Why would I? This is my home."

Contact Robert Bell at 373-7055 or robert.bell@news-record.com