Thebubblebeckons for Bradley – and he couldn’t be happier
Bradley Neil can’t wait to switch back from being a golf fan to resuming his career as a golf professional on Thursday.
He has not played a full pro event since the Dimension Data Pro- Am in South Africa in February due to Covid-19.
And now, after seeing the PGA and European Tour get back into full swing – as well as the ladies circuit – it’s his turn on the Challenge Tour.
The 24-year-old spent the first part of lockdown working as a delivery driver for Tesco, but now heisreadytorestartdeleiveringthe goods on the course.course
To m o r r o w he flies ouut to sample life in a tournament bubble for the first time as he prepares fo r the Northe rn Ireland Open.
“I’m desperate to play competitively again,” the 2014 Amateur Champion tol d The Sunday Post.
“I’ve played Paul Lawrie’si’ Tartan Tour, the Big Johnson’s Tour organised by John Henry, and I’ve even driven to England to play in a few Clutch Pro Tour events to keep me going.
“But it’s so different going from an 18- hole event on a course that you don’t know too well to a 72-hole tournament.
“Quite a lot of the Challenge Tour guys have had the chance to play on the UK swing of the European Tour due to their category, but I haven’t.
“Those players won’t feel the same ‘burn’ as me on the first tee on Thursday.
“I’m a die- hard golf fan and it has been brilliant to watch Dustin Johnson tearing it up last week at the Northern Trust, or
Collin Morikawa winning the US PGA.
“Now I really want to get out and play, but I know it will be a bit strange in the bubble.
“The event at Galgorm Castle is usually the best on the Challenge Tour. It’s run like a full European Tour event, and it’s normally so well supported because fans in Ireland love their golf.
“I’ll miss all that, but I am looking forward to playing more than anything.”
The man from Blairgowrie has events in Portugal and Italy to follow in the coming weeks, and his aim at the co-sanctioned event in Portugal is ‘to do a Marcwarren’.
That is to copy Warren’s model of winning the Austrian Open in July and gaining full playing righrights on the main tour.
Nneil hopes that hours spent worrking on his game with St Anndrews- based coach, Fintan B o n n e r, will be rewaarded on the couurse.
“I feel like II’M making incredible pprogress with mmy game,” he ssaid. “I’ve had a lot of time to weiigh things up and trry to improve. “My short game basically wasn’t up to scratch. I would describe it as club- golfer standard before.
“I’ve stripped back everything and rebuilt, and now I feel that every part of my game is the strongest it’s ever been.
“When I got my European Tour card in 2017, I wasn’t as good a player as I feel I am now. But I had 10 times more belief.
“I’ve gone on an unexpected journey since, losing that card and saving my Challenge Tour card last season at the last event.
“I’ve seen players who I don’t think are as good as me perform well and win tournaments.
“But now I want to see how my game stacks up, and performs under pressure.”