Bryan Bigley

Golf has been a part of my life since I was 5 years old. My father is a golf course superintendent and my brother, a year older, and I would go to work with him on weekends and help him change holes, set up tee markers etc. As we grew up, every night my father would come home, eat a quick dinner, grab my brother and I and it was off to the course to play 9, followed by a stop at the local corner ice cream store. My dad was basically the only teacher I had growing up—and we learned to play blue-collar golf if you will- we wore sneakers to play until we were 17, and to this day very rarely do I wear a glove. 

Once I hit 14 years old, it was working 6-12 Monday-Saturday all summer long, followed by golf all afternoon. I followed my brother to Siena College, where we played on the team together for 4 years and won a conference championship together. My senior year my team would also win again. After college, I moved to Charlotte, NC to pursue my dream as a professional golfer, but unlike most, I still had to work to support myself, so I found myself working on the grounds crew at Raintree CC in South Charlotte. I have played various mini tours the last 8 years ranging from the eGolf Tour to the Carolinas Pro Golf Tour to the G pro tour, with varied success.  In 2011, I Monday qualified for my first PGA Tour event, the Wells Fargo Championship, here in Charlotte. Later that year, I had a near miss at Qualifying School, missing final stage by only 1 shot. But I didn’t let the setback stop me.  In 2012, I Monday qualified again in Charlotte for the Wells Fargo Championship.  All the while, working in my off weeks on the grounds crew.  Most recently, I spent 2014 and 2015 playing the PGA

After college, I moved to Charlotte, NC to pursue my dream as a professional golfer, but unlike most, I still had to work to support myself, so I found myself working on the grounds crew at Raintree CC in South Charlotte. I have played various mini tours the last 8 years ranging from the eGolf Tour to the Carolinas Pro Golf Tour to the G pro tour, with varied success.  In 2011, I Monday qualified for my first PGA Tour event, the Wells Fargo Championship, here in Charlotte. Later that year, I had a near miss at Qualifying School, missing final stage by only 1 shot. But I didn’t let the setback stop me.  In 2012, I Monday qualified again in Charlotte for the Wells Fargo Championship.  All the while, working in my off weeks on the grounds crew.

Most recently, I have been playing the PGA LatinoAmerica Tour, where I got to travel to unbelievable cities all over Central and South America and got to meet some pretty phenomenal people. I was also able to grow as a golfer, learn about travel and mature in decision making. Still, my ultimate goal is a position in the top 25 and to earn a PGA Tour card.

—Bryan Bigley

Check out this article on Bryan in Golf Digest