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Had a rough week? Spare a thought for Julio Bell.

The 52-year-old amateur golfer was given a sponsor’s exemption into this week’s Web.com Tour event in his native Colombia, only to miss the cut after shooting rounds of 93 and 105.

Yep, NINETY-THREE and ONE HUNDRED AND FIVE.

According to Golf Digest, Bell – nicknamed ‘The Machine’ – is a former boxer who only started playing golf five years ago. This week, he was invited to tee it up in the Club Colombia Championship in Bogota alongside the likes of seven-time European Tour winner Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and former USPGA champion Shaun Micheel – and it’s fair to say his lack of let’s call it ‘experience’ showed.

He mustered just one par in a dismal 22-over-par first round. Things got worse today, where he had nine double-bogeys, two triples and two quads on his way to a 34-over 105.

That left him on 56-over for the tournament and, at the time of writing, 42 shots worse off than his nearest challenger.

Strangely, Bell’s Instagram account claims that he is a professional golfer – yet he is listed as an amateur on the Web.com page.

Speaking of his Insta, Bell posted the following message for his critics – of which there were many – after his opening round.

He wrote: “Four years of work in golf and there is still a long way to go. I ask a question: have you spent a lifetime practicing and that you are so good, that you have done for yourself, or better yet, that you have done for others? If you have no answer, do not criticise.”

You find us arguing. Didn’t you read the fourth paragraph? The man’s a former boxer!


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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