hiː tˈɜːnd pɹəfˈɛʃənəl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː, ænd ˈæftɚɹ ɐ fˈeɪld vˈɪzɪt tə jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən tˈʊɹ kwˈɔlᵻfˌaɪɪŋ skˈuːl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɪks hiː spˈɛnt tˈaɪm wˈɜːkɪŋ æz ɐn ɐsˈɪstənt pɹˈoʊ ɪn nˈuː dʒˈɜːsi ænd plˈeɪɪŋ ɔnðə mˈɪnɪtˈʊɹ sˈɜːkɪt ɪnðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts.
He turned professional in 1982, and after a failed visit to European Tour qualifying school in 1986 he spent time working as an assistant pro in New Jersey and playing on the mini-tour circuit in the United States.