Daibarra arrived at Royal Queensland Golf Club on Monday still in something of a daze, granted a place in the field courtesy of his come-from-behind victory at last week’s PGA Associate National Championship at Cobram Barooga Golf Club.

It’s not unlike his introduction to the sport, invited to give it a go by then Kiama Golf Club Professional Shaun O’Toole as he walked through the golf course surfboard tucked under his arm.

So taken was O’Toole by this surfer kid with a natural swing that he had him playing junior pennants in a matter of weeks.

That season, Daibarra went through undefeated.

“He was walking past the tee with the surfboard under his arm,” O’Toole recalled.

“Two of his mates were playing and I said, ‘You going to have a hit?’ He said, ‘I haven’t had a hit.’

“He had a go and I thought he had a good swing without even ever being shown.”

Under the guidance of first O’Toole and Elle Sandak and, most recently, Toby McGeachie at Links Shell Cove, Daibarra’s game flourished.

In a region that has produced the likes of Jordan Zunic and Travis Smyth in recent years, Daibarra was projected to follow a similar path.

Recruited to play pennants at Bonnie Doon Golf Club in Sydney, COVID stalled his playing opportunities, the now 22-year-old option to begin the PGA’s Membership Pathway Program.

He is now in his final year as an Associate and has a renewed belief that his game could be good enough to mix it with the best in the game.

“I felt like my first couple of years I wasn’t kind of maximising what I thought I was capable of,” said Daibarra, who was unable to opt into the Playing stream of the Membership Pathway Program at the start of the year but will play with Kiwi Sam Jones and fellow Aussie James Conran in rounds one and two.

“I kind of just always found myself feeling a bit bummed-out at the end of tournaments.

“Last week was really good, to finally play one that I felt like that’s how I should be playing.

“I’ve still got enough time to try practise and really try to push the playing stuff now. And then if it doesn’t work out, I’ve got coaching or something to fall back on.”

Having seen the raw talent and freedom with which he played as a junior, O’Toole’s only advice is for Daibarra to tap into the laidback attitude that made him such a prolific winner.

“I had kids in state teams and Australian teams and whatever – I worked a lot with good kids – and he just had something in the swing that looked good to me,” said O’Toole.

“It was like there was no pressure on him at all because he had no expectations.

“He just went out and played and he just kept winning. And he thought it was the easiest game in the world.

“He can hit every shot they can hit. If he can go in and play like he used to play, like a big kid with no pressure, that would be great to see.”