Bradley Neil is ready to seal a deal with a major international management company to steer him into the professional ranks.
The British Amateur champion has been feted by a string of companies keen to represent an up and coming star.
Now Neil has confirmed he has all but agreed to put pen to paper, but his immediate focus is on today’s opening round of the 2015 Masters, where he has been teamed with 1988 winner Sandy Lyle and 23-year-old Korean Seung-Yul Noh.
He said: “I have verbally committed to a management company but nothing is signed yet. I did have hopes of getting that done this week. But I’m having a few things checked out before I sign anything and they just haven’t got back to me.
“It is exciting, definitely. I have been close with the company for a while and I get on well with the guy who is going to manage me. I have spent a lot of time with him this week.
“It’s great that it is all happening now, taking the steps towards turning pro. It is getting closer.”
Neil teamed-up again yesterday with world number one Rory McIroy for the traditional Par 3 Contest which precedes the start of the Masters tournament.
The Northern Irishman had warm words and a timely boost for the young Scot after an 18 hole practice round, assuring him his game was ready for the step-up into the pro ranks.
“Rory has seen my game close up and I doubt he is saying these things and not meaning them. He isn’t being patronising. Words like that coming from the world’s number one are nice. But it doesn’t surprise me because he is a genuinely down to earth guy.
“I have been taking each day as it comes. Obviously getting to play with Rory and these guys is brilliant and it can help me. But it’s about my own preparation.
“It is another day to improve and work on things that will need to be good come that first round on Thursday.”
Assessing today’s opening round on his Masters adventure, he said: “Having Sandy in the draw is brilliant. I was pretty happy with that.
“It’s a bit like the Open, great guys but a low key group.
“I saw some of the other amateurs drawn with Adam Scott, Dustin Johnston and Angel Cabrera and Louis Oosthuizen. And the US amateur champion Antonio Murdaca has probably the best draw with Bubba Watson and Justin Rose.
“There’s a lot of attention there whereas there won’t be many following my group. It’s a nice low key group with a Scottish guy, a past winner in there as well. Its going to be great to see how Sandy plays the course.”
Looking beyond Augusta and the summer ahead, which includes a US Open invitation to Chambers Bay and the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village.
“There’s still the Lytham Trophy, big amateur events I want to try to add to the CV before I turn professional.
“I don’t get the chance to defend the British Amateur because it is the same week as the US Open. I don’t get another crack at the St Andrews Links because I am playing Memorial.
“Two of the biggest amateur events in the game, I won one and was close to winning the other last year. It would have been nice to have another shot at them both but I can’t be too greedy. I have to think long-term.
“They are on great courses but not exactly Tour courses. I am getting a better opportunity to learn about Tour life when I am travelling and playing these tougher courses.”