On a Sunday in July, that dream actually became a reality in Ballymena.
Conor Purcell's first professional win at the Black Desert Northern Ireland Open moves him into fourth place on the Challenge Tour money list.
His DP World Tour card for the 2025 season is almost confirmed.
Following his success at Galgorm Castle, he won his second Challenge Tour title at the inaugural Hangzhou Open in China in October. Three birdies on the final four holes helped Purcell win comfortably by four strokes.
“My biggest goal for 2024 is to win,” he told RTÉ Sport's Dave Kelly.
“For the first person to come to Galgorm it was great to be so close to home and have family and friends, and then very quickly the second one came and it all happened very quickly.”
The 27-year-old Dubliner came close to winning a 2023 Tour card. He earned his Level 15 card this season and finished in the top 22 in the final Road to Mallorca Challenge Tour standings.
“I feel like I’ve been through every phase the last few years,” he said. “Four years ago, it would have been a big jump, but now I feel like I've earned my credentials at every level. Hopefully I can go home right away.”
Purcell didn't have to look far to find first-hand advice about life on tour. His father Joey competed on the European Tour before playing professionally at Portmarnock for many years. The elder Purcell finished eighth at the 1980 Spanish Open, tied with the likes of Des Smith and multiple Grand Slam champions Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and Sandy Lyle.
“It's so cool to follow in his footsteps. I have great memories of his games when I started my career and I'm sure he would be proud to watch me play. Hopefully I can achieve some good results for the family.”
The benefits of countless hours of playing and practicing at Portmarnock are obvious.
“I came here very young, probably became a member when I was about 13 years old,” Purcell continued.
“This is one of the best places in the country to grow up and learn the game.”
The de facto home of the Irish Open during its golden days in the 1980s, it is expected to host the Open Championship over the next decade.
“Whenever I'm home, I practice here. There aren't many better places abroad and it's a great place to learn the game,” Purcell said of the famous links.
His athletic talents were not limited to golf, and he briefly considered a career in tennis.
“I played a lot as a junior and was highly ranked in Ireland, but I think golf took away my love very quickly. When I first picked up a club, I seemed to give up on tennis very quickly. “

Ultimately, Purcell hopes to join the growing Irish ranks on the PGA Tour.
“It's the DP World Tour now, but hopefully I can keep going. There's more to do in the game, majors to play, the PGA Tour, and hopefully I can keep working hard and climb the rankings.”
Close play is a special strength of his game.
“I gave myself a lot of chances every week last season, even if I didn't really make an impact, it was about improving in every aspect,” he said. “This race is more crowded than ever. It's nice to know I've crossed the line twice this year and hopefully I can do it again.”
Coping mechanisms are in place for golf's inevitable disappointments and frustrations.
“That's probably something I learned a little bit. Early in my career, I was a little naive and thought success was going to come a lot easier than it actually did. I think the tough times in golf probably teach you more than your time. Win in the end.
“I've had some close calls over the last few years when I haven't crossed the line, and I've had some disappointing weekends. I think that tells me a lot about myself. “I have a team around me that I can rely on and I feel like I'm strengthening myself to be able to withstand good and bad things, which is what the game needs.”
Purcell has a tough task ahead of him this season, as evidenced by two missed cuts at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritius Open in December.
After returning to Dublin over the Christmas and New Year period, Purcell hopes to return to the Emirates Golf Club in January, where Rory McIlroy will be competing for a third and fifth consecutive Dubai Desert Classic title.
Follow the RTÉ Sport WhatsApp channel for the best news, interviews, analysis and features, plus details of our sports coverage across all RTÉ platforms.