VIRGINIA WATER, England — Matt Ford had to wait a long time to achieve his golfing dreams and the Briton still gets emotional when describing the trials and tribulations he endured before getting his tour card at the age of 36.
Ford twice went close to giving up the game and only six months ago was contemplating the prospect of becoming a postman when he suddenly made the breakthrough he longed for, progressing through Qualifying School at the 10th time of asking.
"I was so emotional when I got my card in Spain and it still dries my throat now just thinking about it," he told Reuters in an interview after returning a four-over-par 76 in the BMW PGA Championship first round on Thursday.