I knew a star was born when I saw Brad play
Stuart has watched Blair golf ace rise to the top
Bradley Neil can’t wait for his season on the European Tour Perth and Kinross golf’s junior convenor Stuart Graham always sensed that Bradley Neil possessed talent.
Now he can’t wait to watch the 21-year-old line-up alongside Rory McIlroy and Co on the European Tour next season.
Stuart has followed Bradley’s progress up the golfing ladder from the early days of swinging around the Wee Course at Blairgowrie.
The journey from there has taken him to spectate at a memorable British Amateur Championship win and the iconic Masters at Augusta.
He said: “It’s incredible and was an emotional moment when Bradley made the European Tour.
“I’ve known Bradley since he was six or seven, when he first started holding a golf club. We used to watch him play around the Wee Course at Blairgowrie and went across to watch him when he won the British Amateur final.
“We left early for Portrush to watch when he was one down in the last round, but he turned it around and ended up winning. Then it was across to the Masters where there was a big house of us supporting Bradley. It’s been such a great learning curve.
“I think the first time we noticed something very special about Bradley was when he was 13 going on 14.
“He had won the Scottish and English under-14 championships and went on to become the youngest ever winner of the men’s club championships at Blairgowrie at 14. He’s been beating me ever since!”
Stuart admits it was a nerve-wracking early afternoon on Saturday as Bradley hovered around the required order of merit spot on the Challenge Tour.
But he held his nerve in Muscat, Oman to clinch the lucrative ticket for next season’s European Tour.
Stuart said: “It was so difficult to keep track on who was going above him or below him. There were players way down the list challenging. It was exciting
Bradley Neil and Stuart Graham with the British Amateur trophy to see him do it. It’s only a few years ago Bradley was playing in the county competitions. You forget that he is only 21. To do it on his first year of being fully on the Challenge Tour is incredible and not many people do that. “I think he’s the first Perth and Kinross player to get on the European Tour for 38 years, since Brian Marchbank. “I’ve played with a lot of top guys and you realise how hard it is. It just shows you the talent he has got.” Stuart has been impressed with Bradley’s dedication and is backing him to continue this sporting success story. He added: “He is far more mature now and will be raring to go when he starts up. “I was speaking to him this week and he has already been back at Bell’s Sports Centre for strength and conditioning. “It’s exciting times for Blairgowrie Golf Club and for Perth and Kinross County Golf to have one of our own on the European Tour.”
I’ve played with top guys and you realise how hard it is. It just shows the talent he’s got