DP World Tour pro Joe Dean had spent years wondering if his big moment would ever come. On Sunday, it finally happened, and he had an emotional message to share after his win.
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“All those painful hours and all the work I’ve put in, it’s finally led to something, so yeah, happy,” Dean said. “A first win, but also a fairytale win.”
The fairytale story really fits Dean. Just two years ago, he delivered groceries for Morrisons to help pay for his golf career, needing money for entry fees, travel, and other costs while chasing a career that had not yet paid off.
The 32-year-old Englishman shot a bogey-free 9-under 63 to win the Husqvarna British Masters at The Belfry. It was his first DP World Tour title in his 70th start. Ranked 292nd in the world, Dean was not one of the main names being talked about before the final round. But by the end of the day, he was the player everyone was talking about. His win was not just about his incredible round. It was also about the hard work it took him to reach this moment.
Dean earned his tour card through Q-School, but he could not afford to compete at first, so he kept driving the delivery van. Even after joining the tour, he occasionally took delivery shifts to support himself.
That history hasn’t faded, and Dean doesn’t pretend it has. Asked whether those days feel like a lifetime ago, he said, “No, not really. I still see the guys every now and then, and yeah, I enjoyed it for most of the time. I still see the vans going up and down the road every now and then. So, yeah, keep in touch.”
There had been signs that this breakthrough was coming. Dean finished third at the KLM Open and ninth at the BMW International this summer. He also earned his place in The Open through final qualifying, showing that his game was coming into form before Sunday’s big round.
“We’d sort of had a glimpse of that over the past two, three months, but it kind of faded after a few holes,” he said. “So, yeah, to finally get through the entire round and feel good about it is really nice.”
Sunday’s win also had a special story behind it. Dean married his longtime girlfriend, Emily, last month, and she was on his bag at The Belfry. She has been by his side for most of his season.
Dean earned around £440,000 from the win, more than he had made in his previous 19 starts this season combined.
“I don’t know where it’s going. She knows everything,” he said. “I can’t thank her enough for what she has to put up with me. It was bad enough off the course and the lows and stuff like that, but now on the course and off the course. So, yeah, I hope I made her proud.”
Dean now has his name alongside Sir Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros as a British Masters champion. It is still a lot for him to take in. Just two years ago, he was working a delivery job to help pay his bills while chasing his golf dream. Now, he has his first tour win and proof that all those years of hard work were worth it.