Daniel Staples' talent for the game of golf has long been undeniable, but the young gun seems to be taking it to a new level as he strives to make it a full-time career.
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The 23-year-old sharp-shooter has just re-written the record books at the Buninyong Golf Club while claiming a second A-grade championship.
Staples fired a record low score of 12-under par across the four rounds. His total of 276 secured the title by a whopping 18 strokes and broke the previous best score of 280 held by Travis Tatt.
"I wasn't really aware of it (the record) until I got told about it - I just sort of came out and played," Staples said.
While he makes the game look easy out on the course, Staples' life away from it has been far from smooth sailing. In 2006, he was diagnosed with a spinal cord tumour and endured years of treatment, surgeries and chemotherapy and has battled various stages of paralysis while recovering. In addition, he had procedures to correct kyphosis and scoliosis of the spine and has a rod and screws in his back.
In 2016, he lost his beloved father Paul to a heart condition.
Putting all that behind him, Staples remains as determined as ever to turn his passion into a career.
"I tend to be really serious on the course. It's where I want to be, ultimately. I want to make it a living," he said.
"For me, it's more about consistency and getting the mental side of things correct now.
"When the game is on, it's definitely good enough I reckon. It's just about finding that consistency between the average days and the good days."
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Staples' path to turning professional isn't a clear one, but he hopes to find a way through tour school here in Australia or even overseas.
"I'll keep going back and forth to tour school until hopefully I get through that...," he said.
"I've had a couple of goes at the Australasian one and I've been mid-pack and down. I feel like I have been getting better and better each year..."
A recent trip to the Augusta National Golf Club for the US Masters solidified Staples' dream even more.
"The crowds, the atmosphere... that's what I want to do," he said.