New Amateur champion Bradley Neil had planned to bide his time before testing the professional waters, but he knows that may no longer be the best option.
The 18-year-old returned to a hero’s welcome at his home club of Blairgowrie last night after his 2 and 1 victory over Zander Lombard at Royal Portrush at the weekend catapulted him into a different world from the cosy surroundings of amateur golf the Masters, US Open and, first up, the Open Championship at Hoylake.
His victory will also open up other doors for him robably the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, a return to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship where he debuted so impressively last year and a possible visit to the US Amateur later this summer.
The plan was to play for Europe in the Junior Ryder Cup on his home course this September, and then Great Britain and Ireland in next year’s Walker Cup at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
But a lot could change between now and then, and the path trodden by the last teenager to win the Amateur, Italy’s Matteo Manassero, might be the one to follow.
“I’ve got so many things ahead of me, it’s unbelievable,” he pondered. “I’ve always wanted to play in the Walker Cup but, really, if the opportunity arises where I can turn professional with a full tour card then I won’t wait.”
He added: “I won’t make a decision now, there is too much for me to think about just now. I have worked hard for this and I don’t mean to brag, but I feel I deserve all of this.
“It has been a longer time coming than it looks. I’m going to take everything in. The Open, the Masters, the US Open…it’s unbelievable.”
Manassero, the Amateur champion at just 16 in 2009, originally didn’t plan to turn pro until he’d finished his schooling, but after his Amateur win and some outstanding performances in pro events he made the switch just after his 17th birthday in 2010.
He recorded his first European Tour victory later that year.
Bradley’s performance at Royal Portrush was no less impressive than Manassero’s, and he has been the most consistent player on the amateur circuit this year.
His approach is almost professional in some ways already witness his trip in March to scout both courses for the Amateur and to hire a local caddie in Michael Stewart.
“I came over in March to see both courses, eventually played Portstewart twice and Royal Portrush once. Michael is a Portstewart member and was highly recommended to me, and we got together then.
“I was just delighted he was available to caddie for me in the championship. You see the amount of preparation the pros put in for major championships and realise that is what you have to do. If you want the rewards that this game can offer you need to do that.
“You need to put in the time and make sacrifices and give up going away for a few weeks. I wanted to get to know both courses before last week and I arrived feeling comfortable. I knew what I could do on both courses and reaped the rewards.”
Bradley’s dad Rod followed him all week at Portrush as he does for all the major amateur events while brother Connor came at the weekend and tweeted a shot-by-shot commentary for all those back home who could not get across for the final.
“We were all in tears at the end,” continued Bradley. “We realise this is a life-changing thing.
“This is a win for everyone who has helped me achieve this dream. I’m still just waiting to wake up.”
The victory is also a boon for Scottish amateur golf after last season, when the leading players drew a blank at the top level and no Scot made the Walker Cup team for the first time in nearly 70 years.
So far this year as well as Bradley’s victory in the top-ranked event, Grant Forrest won the St Andrews Links Trophy and Jamie Savage the Irish Open Amateur.
Three Scots reached the last eight at Portrush, while Bradley also finished in the top three in three other top-ranked events the South African Amateur, the European Nations’ Cup and the Lytham Trophy.
At the weekend 17-year-old Robert Macintyre from Oban, won the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Trophy by seven shots against the best juniors in the UK.
SGU performance director Steve Paulding said Bradley’s success was another big boost for the amateur game in Scotland.
“We’re very proud of Bradley and it’s great to see his hard work paying off with big performances in major events.
“There have been a lot of people supporting and pushing him to be as good as he can be over the past few years and winning The Amateur Championship is a fantastic reward for him and the people around him.
“We’ve invested a lot in our leading amateurs, through the warm weather training programmes in Abu Dhabi and South Africa to support from sportscotland and Aberdeen Asset Management, and it’s very satisfying to see the players responding so well. “We have a talented crop of players coming through from the academy who are working hard and hopefully we can keep the momentum going into the other big events coming up this year,” he added.