Road to the PGA Tour
 
Gowy (Paul Gow) would have you believe that I came straight from the Troppo Tour [Queensland tour] to the PGA Tour. After being a trainee in Australia for 3 years I did play the Troppo Tour and the Australasian Tour then would head off to Canada for the Canadian Tour to play in the winter (your summer). After 4 years there I got through PGA Tour Q School finals the first time I tried. No University or sponsor funded trips playing for me. And I often got into trouble for maxing out my wife's credit cards - who worked to pay the bills whilst I played wherever I could. But she was rewarded by being allowed to caddy for me on our honeymoon at the Victoria Open in 2002 - which I won.

I was no protégé either - I preferred to play cricket with the boys but I decided I wanted to play golf after dragging my fathers bag around air force base golf courses around Australia (generally 9 holes including one where the tee was under the targets for the shooting range) At the ripe old age of 14, I had to choose - golf or cricket - Norman or Border. I was no scholar and my parents were happy that I was hitting balls and not getting into trouble when I should have been in class (the school wasn't real pleased). Golf won. A couple of club championships and trophies and I decided I wanted to be a pro, and I wanted to play in America.

After a cooks tour around the world I got my dream here, and I intend to stay. I hope those of you who are traveling the less comfortable road as a golf pro get some comfort out of my trek and those that are golf fans gain some understanding of the hurdles some of us make just to be playing on the PGA Tour. The winning will come later.....

Check out the tees to see where I've played across the globe...