Became hooked on golf as a four year old when he had an asthma attack in the night and was allowed to watch television, which was showing fellow Australian Greg Norman playing in The Open Championship. His father took him to a golf course the following week, where he continued playing until in his teens. Realised he could make a living from the game at 14 when he began to dominate his age group in domestic tournaments and in 2001 he won the World Junior Championship. Also won the New South Wales Open as an amateur and is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. Credits his parents with having the biggest influence on his career as they supported him financially while he was trying to make it, and has always idolised Norman.