About a dozen hours and 480 miles removed from the day that changed his life, Lee McCoy drove alone in a golf cart Monday morning, competing for the University of Georgia in the Southern Intercollegiate Championships in Athens, Ga.

With only a couple of hours of sleep, McCoy's body was running on fumes, but his mind was churning with memories and possibilities. He had 36 holes to think about the enormousness of his accomplishment in the Valspar Championship — placing fourth to notch the best finish by an amateur on the PGA Tour in nearly 20 years.

On Sunday, playing alongside world No. 1. Jordan Spieth — a fellow 22-year-old — McCoy bested the reigning Masters and U.S. Open champion by four shots in the final round.

Never mind the surreal nature of having thousands cheering for you in your hometown one day and only chirping birds to greet you the next. The cart ride was welcomed.

“It was lonely and quiet,” McCoy said on the phone Tuesday. “It was kind of nice to reflect, to have everything kind of settled down. I was able to think about stuff. It was a good day.”

McCoy said he didn't check his cellphone until the turn on his first 18, “just to make sure I wasn't thinking about some dream I had last night,” he said with a laugh. “I needed confirmation that it actually happened.

“I'm not saying I didn't think I could do this, because I have confidence. But it definitely went beyond my expectations.”

Completely fried, McCoy shot 3 under in Monday's event and tied for seventh, helping Georgia to a tournament victory.

As a senior, McCoy has as many as five more tournaments to play for the Bulldogs — if he doesn't decide to turn pro before the end of the season.

“That is the plan,” McCoy said of playing out the college year. “I'd rather not get any deeper into that. I am obviously very, very ready to get back out and play another tour event.”

McCoy said he seriously considered turning pro after playing for the United States in the Walker Cup in September. But he felt his game needed more polish. Had he been a pro, he would have earned $292,800 at the Valspar — which would have gone a long way toward possibly earning his tour card.

A nonexempt player can receive seven sponsor's exemptions for a season, and McCoy figures to bag commitments for his six remaining starts as soon as he turns pro.

“He lives in a different world than he did just a few days ago,” said McCoy's recently hired instructor, Adam Porzak. “People will talk about the money, but what he really wants to do is get out there and play.

“He has the personality and the love of the game. ... There's something special about him. And, boy, I think he's going to light it up in that situation.”

McCoy and Porzak have worked together for only about a month, and the golfer credits his instructor with the changes that put him into position to perform like he did last week. Wearing a Porzak Academy cap, McCoy shot 66-69 on the weekend — his 7-under score marking the best performance for any player over the final 36 holes.

“We've only worked together for a short time, but we've made incredible progress,” McCoy said. “(He) played a big role over the last month. I have more confidence in my golf game from tee to green than I ever have.”

Porzak, 29, who is based in San Diego, is an up-and-coming teacher with a couple of rising stars in his stable — McCoy, fifth in the current World Amateur Rankings, and University of Texas junior Beau Hossler, who is sixth.

Hossler grabbed the media spotlight at 17 when he contended into the weekend of the 2012 U.S. Open. It took McCoy longer, but he showed remarkable poise in what he faced on the weekend at Innisbrook, the course on which he grew up.

Porzak, in the middle of a lesson, was stunned when his cellphone rang Sunday morning and it was McCoy, affirming a putting idea only 10 minutes before his tee time. McCoy got what he needed and quickly hung up.

“I have to go,” he told Porzak. “Everybody is staring at me.”

He got used to it. A crowd estimated at more than 10,000 hustled to follow McCoy and Spieth.

“I wish I could play in front of a crowd that size every day,” McCoy said. “Playing with Jordan was an incredible experience. It was almost like playing with Tiger (Woods). I respect his game and everything he does.”

Walking up to the 18th green, about to cap his 69 to Spieth's 73, McCoy could swear he heard more people calling his name than the current top player's. He wasn't overly impressed with himself but was humbled.

“I'm thinking to myself that's just not right,” McCoy said. “This can't be happening right now.”

tod.leonard@tribpub.com