hiː tˈɜːnd pɹəfˈɛʃənəl ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ˈeɪt æɾɚ ɹˈɛlətˌɪvli lˈeɪt ˈeɪdʒ, ænd wʌzðə jˌʊɹɹəpˈiən tˈʊɹz sˌɜː hˈɛnɹi kˈɑːʔn̩ ɹˈʊki ʌvðə jˈɪɹ ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn.
He turned professional in 1978 at a relatively late age, and was the European Tour's Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 1979.