‘ Like a Big Brother ’
They sold the company to SFX Sports Group in 1998 and Mascatello served as its CEO . In 2011 , SFX was purchased by Wasserman , and for the last 10 years , Mascatello , Martin and Reilly , an early Cambridge hire , ran Wasserman ’ s golf division . They represented more than 50 players , men and women , worldwide .
Mascatello ’ s first client at ProServ was Scott Verplank of Oklahoma State , the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event in 29 years when he prevailed in a playoff at the 1985 Western Open the summer before his senior year of college .
Verplank was highly recruited by the major sports representation companies , but said he chose Mascatello “ because of his personality and his manner . He always made whoever he was with feel more important than he was . Everyone in the world was trying to get me , but we just hit it off . He was honest and straightforward , in a way that wasn ’ t at all abrasive . He represented me for 36 years . He was my manager , my advisor and my great friend .”
ALL THE RIGHT THINGS
When Mascatello and Martin started Cambridge Sports , they hired a headhunting firm to find administrative help . Beth Ann Greeley was working at the recruiting company , and Mascatello was immediately smitten , but too shy to ask her out . Martin did it for him , and the three of them went to a happy hour at a popular D . C . restaurant .
After that first date , Beth Ann told her sister she had met the man she was going to marry . Mascatello also told Martin he had met the woman he was going to marry . And so they did , in September 1992 .
They initially lived in Georgetown and moved to the Middleburg area in 1993 . They vacationed for 15 years in Sea Island , where a number of golfers and several agents also lived . Four years ago , they purchased a house there and moved permanently from Middleburg during the pandemic .
Professionally , Mascatello was widely regarded by his peers and golf executives from all the pro tours . He worked with several PGA Tour player foundations and joined Mark Steinberg ( Tiger Woods ’ long-time agent ) and Steve Loy ( Phil
Mickelson ’ s agent ) serving on an advisory council for the PGA Tour .
He was a low-handicap golfer himself and , as a long-time member of the Middleburg Tennis Club , also was a skilled and competitive player . He was a member of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville , Loudoun Golf and Country Club in Purcellville , and Sea Island Golf Club .
He also was an avid sports fan , helped coach several youth sports teams and loved watching his daughter and two sons compete in their respective athletic pursuits when they were growing up . cutline
Thirty-six years is a long time , but I felt John always put my interests at the top of his list , no matter who else he signed . We had a great working relationship . He was kind of like a big brother .”
— Scott Verplank
Mascatello was only 26 himself when he became 21-year-old Verplank ’ s first and only agent .
“ I wouldn ’ t have stayed with him for as long as I did if I didn ’ t think he was doing all the right things ,” said Verplank , who still competes on the PGA Tour Champions circuit . “ Thirty-six years is a long time , but I felt John always put my interests at the top of his list , no matter who else he signed . We had a great working relationship . He was kind of like a big brother .”
And unlike Daly , with Verplank , the phone never rang after 11 p . m .
COURTESY PHOTO
28 V IRGINIA G OLFER | S EPTEMBER / O CTOBER 2021
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