There was a time when golf was not the preferred career for PGA player Daniel Popovic.
But now the 30-year-old, who has been on the professional circuit since 2012, is helping to grow the sport in Croatia, his family's homeland.
Popovic told SBS News he remembered his family's reaction when he told them he was a professional golfer.
“My aunty said to me in their native language, 'put those clubs away they don’t bring you any money you have to be working in the fields',” he said.
“Golf to them is just a hobby, they wouldn’t even consider taking up the game.”
Croatia has only eight golf courses in the entire country, but Popovic is doing his bit to increase the game's popularity.
“I send back gloves and balls, just to try and help them out,” he said.
“Kids are starting to get interested and I’ve donated a lot of time and effort into a number of them.”
Popovic is one of several local hopes competing in the Australian Open, which begins tomorrow in Sydney.
The biggest victory of his career was in 2012, when he won the Australian PGA on the Gold Coast.
It was an emotional triumph with his father Radi battling bone cancer at the time.
“I was fortunate enough that after the PGA win and the story came out about my Dad that I was contacted by St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne,” Popovic said.
“They just took control of everything, created a team around him and he’s still living today.”
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