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.
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.