LEXINGTON, Ky. – Former Wildcat Chip McDaniel has been named Kentucky men’s golf assistant coach, first-year head coach Gator Todd announced Wednesday. A four-year letterwinner for the Wildcats and a 2018 graduate, McDaniel comes to Lexington after a year as an assistant coach for the men’s and women’s golf programs at Eastern Kentucky.

“We could not be more excited to welcome Chip back to Lexington as our assistant coach,” Todd said. “Chip is a high-character guy who cares deeply about Kentucky golf and is committed to helping elevate our program. He brings a great deal of playing experience from his days as a Wildcat and as a professional that will relate very well to our guys.”

Prior to his coaching career, McDaniel spent four years playing professionally, making 43 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour and 11 on the PGA Tour. McDaniel notched seven top-20 finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour and highlighted his PGA Tour experience with a tie for fifth at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in 2019 prior to making the cut at the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

As a Wildcat, the Manchester, Kentucky, native played 133 rounds over 45 career tournaments, tallying a 72.02 scoring average. McDaniel, a 2016 PING Third-Team All-American and Second-Team All-SEC selection, also was an Academic All-SEC selection as a senior. Dating back to the 1993-94 season, McDaniel’s career scoring average ranks second in program history, behind current Wildcat Alex Goff, and his 71.82 scoring average in the 2016-17 campaign is the third-best in that era. McDaniel won the individual title at the Grove Intercollegiate as a sophomore, participating in three NCAA Regionals and the two NCAA Championships.

“It is an honor to be back in the blue and white,” McDaniel said. “This university has given my family and me more than a kid from Clay County, Kentucky could ever imagine. I’m super excited to serve my alma mater once again and assist Coach Todd in the clear vision he has for the program. He is a great man with a superb coaching pedigree and I’m glad to have him guiding our ship. As always, go Cats!”

McDaniel earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting from Kentucky in May 2018. A graduate of Clay County High School, McDaniel was named Kentucky’s Mr. Golf in 2011. A two-time winner of the Kentucky State Amateur, McDaniel was a three-time Kentucky PGA Junior Player of the Year, a four-time Kentucky Junior Am champion and 2013 Junior PGA champion.