via Imago
Silhouette of man playing golf at dusk model released, Symbolfoto, STSF03725. Credit | Imago
via Imago
Silhouette of man playing golf at dusk model released, Symbolfoto, STSF03725. Credit | Imago
Johannes Veerman’s journey to professional golf is a story of perseverance and unexpected turns. Born in Southern California and raised on the Texas fairways, Veerman started his college career at Tulsa, where a strong freshman season with the Golden Hurricane caught his attention. But it was his move to Texas A&M that would define his path. Veerman wasn’t the standout player as a pre-med student and an average golfer by college standards.
His best year saw him land on the all-region team with a 72.89 scoring average, but by his senior year, his numbers had dipped. Despite this, Veerman made a bold decision: he turned professional after graduation and finally fulfilled his dream ever since he was nine years old. Well, as it turns out, there were high chances that he was about to deflate from the route, but was brought back on track. The reasons behind that choice are as inspiring as they are classic.
While Johannes Veerman was still on the golf team of Texas A&T, he started going to med school. The reason? Well, he was almost on the verge of losing his thumb, but luckily got it fixed. The doctor nearly became a hero for him. And so, as he stated in an interview, “I wanted to become a doctor. I got in a firework accident. Kind of blew my thumb off and put it back together. It was life-changing. I thought, wow, becoming a doctor would be the coolest thing ever because I get to directly impact people’s lives.”
But what brought him back on track? Well the doctors who were with him in the ER claimed that all of them from the college wished to be on the golf course. This was what made him ponder upon the question. Knowing he had been practicing for a long time now, he directly went into becoming a professional right after graduating. “And at that point, I was like, that was fun. I want to keep going and just kind of see how far I can take this,” he added.
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However, although he turned pro, the journey to achieving his dream of clinching the trophy did not come easy for him. Veerman started playing on the DP World Tour in August 2015. But it was not until 2021 that he grabbed a win.
Johannes Veerman’s only win on the DP World Tour
The 2021 D+D Real Czech Masters in Prague was Johannes Veerman’s 59th start on the DP World Tour. He bagged a 4-under in the final round at the Albatross Golf Resort, defeating Sean Crocker and Tapio Pulkkanen. “It feels amazing. I was asked if I could put it into words and I can’t,” he said after his round. “When I walked off the green I felt relief more than anything.” However, it has been almost three years since his maiden title.
But there are high chances that if he continues his momentum at the 2024 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, he might finally come out of his hiatus and grab his second win. As the first round concluded a few hours ago, the American professional is currently tied for the second position with Thorbjon Olesen at 9-under. They are just one stroke away from Tommy Fleetwood, who is currently leading. Do you think that the 32-year-old will finally be able to clinch the trophy again? Stay tuned to find out.
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Can Johannes Veerman's perseverance finally lead him to a second win at the Abu Dhabi Championship?