In fact, there are countless examples with names like Nicklaus and Love that have tried to follow in their famous father’s footsteps to varying degrees of success, and there is another who is back on that trail in Australia this week.

Gunner Wiebe wanted to follow dad Mark’s example when he left college and pursued a professional career for five years.

There were no plans to abandon that dream at such an early stage until an accident 10 minutes into a trip to Mexico with a group of friends that included his now wife, Gianna.

“It was a nasty injury, I’m lucky to be alive, very fortunate and after that the rehab was intense,” Wiebe said Thursday after signing for three-under 69. “It was probably 14 months until I was full strength again. By that time, life doesn’t care much about your injuries and I had to make money.”

The exact scenario that caused the injury sounds innocuous enough, but the near fatal result looked almost the certain death knell for his budding golf career.

“I was in Mexico on a vacation and I was unloading luggage and I thought I had left a glass door open and it happened to be closed.

“I cut through my triceps tendon, fat tissue. The only thing that I didn’t cut through was my artery and I was very close to that happening. Unbelievably lucky to be alive after that and gave me some good perspective I think.

RIGHT: Gunner's dad Mark holds the Senior Open aloft in 2013. PHOTO: Phil Inglis/Getty Images.

“That was an eye-opening experience for me, you know, not to bitch and complain as much about little things that happen throughout the day. It’s OK, I have a family that loves me.”

That family that loves him includes Mark, winner of the Senior Open in 2013, who the 33-year-old speaks to “a lot” and notes how lucky he is to have someone who experienced his profession at the highest level in his corner. It also now includes his baby daughter Monroe, who was full of smiles for dad after his opening three-under round at Kingston Heath. Wiebe’s sharing fourth, four shots back of leader David Micheluzzi.

But how exactly did they end up in Melbourne contesting the Australian Open after a share of 18th at the Australian PGA last week?

“It’s been a weird 10 years, to say the least … I worked for five years, eventually made my way to Bel Air (Country Club), worked three years there and I had some good fortune in meeting the right people. More than anything, I think they probably believed in me a little bit more than I maybe believed in myself. They encouraged me to give it another go and 16 months later I’m playing in the Australian Open, which is just insane.”

His place in the field comes via his DP World Tour card earned at the recent qualifying school.

“I missed at Second Stage of US Tour School by I think five and was irritated at the time,” Wiebe said. “But I had enough time in between to get my mind right and come out here and be excited about the experience. I got to go to Spain and I played golf in a tournament. How bad could it really be?

“I cut through my triceps tendon, fat tissue. The only thing that I didn’t cut through was my artery and I was very close to that happening. Unbelievably lucky to be alive after that and gave me some good perspective I think." - Gunner Wiebe.

“I mean, Tour school’s nerve-wracking, but at the same time, I’m in places I’ve never been. I was in Alicante, then I’m in Tarragona, it’s beautiful. It’s golf, which is great, but seeing the world, it’s amazing, absolutely amazing.”

There’s that perspective again.

An attribute he gained plenty of during his time in the pro shop at the famed Bel Air in Los Angeles.

“I don’t ever want to think it was a pain in the butt,” he said of his time. “I have very fond memories from working there, but 70-hour weeks, it’s a lot. I don't know how much longer I would have made it anyway and I have some great motivation, both positive and negative from some of the members. I hold on to them both dearly.

“There’s one man in particular that in no shorter words, told me I was making a mistake, and I think about him every day.”

Just gaining status on the DP World Tour probably proves that member wrong. And Wiebe plans on improving his category with more good play this week, and perhaps even a win that would help him in get into most events on the circuit this season.

There is also another event he has circled via one of the three Open Championship starts on offer this week.

“I’m playing for a couple of things this week on a personal level,” Wiebe admitted. “The British Open is very important to me and my family so the fact that you can earn your way into this week is a very, very good thing to keep you going.”

There’s that drive that comes from places other than just shooting low scores that seems to be working for Wiebe on his southern sojourn that saw him spend thanksgiving in Brisbane and might include a trip to South Africa next week if he moves up the entry list for the Alfred Dunhill Championship.

Regardless of if he wins, or even if once again no longer wishes to play professional golf, that family who love The Open after last week will be right behind him.

“I think for my parents to finally see me have success in getting to a Tour, that’s been a bit of a challenge. I think we’ve all known I’ve always been maybe good enough, but for whatever reason it never quite worked out.

“They’re proud of me, they’re excited.”