WA amateur Adam Brady’s appearance at the $250,000 City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder WA PGA Championship is the latest in an extensive line of stopovers while refining his craft across the world.
The 20-year-old from The Vines Resort Golf Club in Perth has enjoyed a meteoric past few months, underpinned by the runner-up trophy at Scotland’s famous “home of golf” in the St Andrews Links Trophy event in June.
He was eventually beaten by close friend Connor McKinney, who is also from Perth and contesting the WA PGA Championship.
“That was just a great week because St Andrews oozes class and tradition,” Brady said.
“This (local tournament) is different because these are pro players who do it for a job and obviously we (the field’s amateur players) aspire to do it for a job.
“It is a different kind of pressure, I’d imagine, playing for your livelihood, and it’s nice to get a taste of that this week.
“St Andrew is synonymous with the world’s best golfers and something you still want to win, regardless if it’s for money or not.
“Obviously I was nervous because I’d never been at a big international event like that leading, but I handled myself well and I played well the whole way — I was just beaten by someone who had a great round.
“They had all the stands already set up there for the Open, so it was pretty cool.
“Just playing a practice round on the course was a cool enough experience in itself.
“St Andrews isn’t so much unique because it’s all about the history but this (Kalgoorlie) is a very unique experience just because there’s not many golf courses like it.”
Brady played the Kalgoorlie Golf Course for the first time three years ago and was taken back by the experience.
“For where this place is, you’d never expect anyone to ever build something like this,” he said.
“I think all the players who come here pretty much say the same thing, that they were expecting to play on some dirt, or something similar.
“He (Kalgoorlie Golf Course designer Graham Marsh) has done a decent job and I’ve obviously regularly played The Vines, which he also designed, and it’s the same thing — big, undulating greens and pretty much what he’s done here.
“Obviously he likes to make things challenging and all you have to do is look at the 18th green here, three big slopes on it and not exactly easy.”
Brady’s path to Kalgoorlie-Boulder this week has followed nearly five months of playing at courses in the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Spain and Portugal.
“I’m very lucky to have had opportunities to play in those locations and I’d love to keep doing it,” he said.
Brady grew up a keen soccer player, but golf became his priority after a series of junior tournaments.
“If it wasn’t for golf, I wouldn’t have been to half the places I have,” he said.
“I’m pretty grateful for that.”
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