Labor Of Love

Joseph Bramlett’s story is not unlike that of Sisyphus, the ancient king of Ephyra who was famously punished by Zeus to roll a massive boulder up a steep hill repeatedly, with no end to the task in sight. Many have commented on the mythology, including French philosopher Albert Camus, who concluded that the struggle is “enough to fill a man’s heart.”

Bramlett’s continued pushing of his proverbial boulder has indeed pumped his heart full of perseverance. For starters, he recently earned a PGA Tour card for the first time in nine years. That alone is a remarkable accomplishment, but everything that has transpired around it makes Bramlett a player every golf fan should be rooting for this season.

The Californian first came to prominence when he qualified for the 2002 U.S. Amateur at age 14. At the time he was the youngest to qualify for the championship, and it was an early sign of the player he would develop into at Stanford a few years later. His collegiate career brought with it a weighty comparison – Bramlett is biracial, the s...