Davis Riley has never had a contingency life plan. He’s always wanted to just play golf. That’s now looking like an ingenious pathway for the 27-year-old pro who in May scored his first individual PGA TOUR victory at the tournament in Dallas – walloping runner-up Scottie Scheffler, Earth’s hottest player, by five strokes.
“I put all of my marbles in the golf basket,” admits the Hattiesburg, Miss., native and ambassador for financial services company Empower. “I didn't really have a plan B. I was born and raised on a golf course, lived 200 yards from the range, and was all into golf from early on. I loved to play the game, practiced as hard as I could, competed and hoped that I would fulfill my dream of playing on the PGA Tour one day. I'm extremely blessed to be doing that now.”
Success has followed Riley wherever he has gone. After a stellar stint at University of Alabama where he was ranked America’s top college golfer, he won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour in two years. Shortly after joining the PGA TOUR in 2022, Riley almost won the Valspar Championship, eventually getting bested on the second playoff hole. Then he captured the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a team event, with partner Nick Hardy.
Don’t be surprised if Riley’s recent solo win triggers more late-Sunday rounds in the near future. His work ethic is unwavering, and he intelligently approaches his profession. “Goal setting is very important because it keeps me motivated and accountable and lays out a blueprint to do the little things on a daily basis to inch closer to those goals,” he says, adding that he applauds Empower's similar values, and how they open doors for their clients to attain their financial freedom goals. “I've always been extremely fascinated with trying to get better at the game, and I've fallen in love with that process. That's the thing about golf and probably partly why golfers are crazy: There's always something to practice. It’s an endless pursuit.”
In that spirit of humility, Riley says he’s been working on his driving, iron-shot consistency, and dropping six-to-15-foot birdie putts this year. “Most golfers make things more difficult than they are,” he says. “I’ve simplified things and am trusting my game. Now I'm building momentum and capitalizing on opportunities.” Fellow tour pros beware.
Visit Riley’s personal Empower profile to learn more about his approach to golf and life.