Joe Dean, a golfer born in England, entered the rare world of millionaires overnight after finishing in the second position during the recently concluded Kenya Open golf competition.
With the feat, the sportsman earned USD216,000 (Ksh31 million), effectively catapulting him into millionaire status.
Dean's rise to the top has been a slow and at times grueling experience ranging from missed opportunities to financial struggles.
Ranked at position 2.930 in the Golf world, the sportsman had worked as a delivery driver for Morrisons supermarket in an effort to make ends meet.
Last year, he qualified for the DP World Tour but could not participate in the competition due to a lack of funds to travel across the world.
"After the last three or four years, I never thought I'd get another chance," Dean stated according to the BBC.
"Still some gremlins to get past in order to get to my full potential, but like anyone you've got to get over them, squash them, and keep going."
To win the latest open, Dean shot a 4-under 67, including five birdies and tied in the second position with another sportsman Spaniard Nacho Elvira (66). The Kenya Open was won by Darius Van Driel.
He noted that the win boosted his confidence.
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. It’s what people dream of, it’s what I’ve been aiming to do for a long time," he told the press.
“I’ve never been one of the most over-confident people. Coming into this week was a bit daunting. Luckily, I managed to get over that quickly and figure out how to get around the golf course.”
The 29-year-old golfer hails from Sheffield in the UK.
