Following a long and storied career on the PGA TOUR spanning 25 years and including three titles, John Rollins was delighted at the prospect of covering new ground on PGA TOUR Champions.

But, he could’ve never imagined just how much ground he’d be covering to get to that Champions Tour debut at the DICK'S Open.

Originally intending to fly from his home in Texas to Binghamton, New York, after learning there were no available rental cars, he opted instead for Scranton, Pennsylvania. As a result, Rollins would have to first connect through Philadelphia.

“I landed in Philadelphia about 12:45 p.m. Monday and had a 1:55 p.m. from there to Scranton,” he said. “I got on the shuttle to get to the F terminal. But, when I got to the gate, there was no plane. The representative I spoke to told me to walk outside to the shuttle bus where they would scan my pass and welcome me aboard.”

Rollins followed the directions to the “tee” (golf humor).

“After getting on the shuttle bus and taking a seat, I wondered when it was going to leave to get us to the plane,” he said. “Our flight was supposed to be in the air within five minutes, and we hadn’t even left to go to the plane.”

The bus driver then updated his passengers over the loudspeaker.

“He said the bus was ready to leave … for Scranton,” Rollins laughed. “All of a sudden, I was looking at a two-hour bus ride from Philadelphia to get to Scranton … to get a rental car … and then drive over an hour from there to get here.”

Even after closer investigation, nowhere was it conveyed on his boarding pass that his Philadelphia-to-Scranton segment was by bus. In fine print after the fact, though, with the help of PGA TOUR Travel, Rollins did find a clause stating the flight may include a segment by shuttle bus.

“Nowhere that I could see on my boarding pass did it say anything about a bus,” he said. “Needless to say, I was a little shocked. I called my wife from the bus and said, ‘I guess I’m a rookie again, and I feel like a rookie that’s never traveled before.' Ultimately, we laughed about it.”

Now that the PGA TOUR Champions rookie has made it to En-Joie Golf Club, that interesting day now resides in his rearview mirror. But, more significantly, so does a solid “pre-50” career he’s hoping to use as a springboard into this next leg of his golf journey.

After turning pro in 1997 after the U.S. Amateur, Rollins spent a year on the Korn Ferry Tour in 1999 before his rookie year on the PGA TOUR in 2000. He would capture his first TOUR title in 2002 at the RBC Canadian Open.

Interestingly, Rollins emerged victorious again in 2006 at the B.C Open., which was held each year at En-Joie Golf Club. Because of flooding in the area, though, that year it was moved to the Turning Stone Resort.

“My last time here at En Joie was 2005, when I finished second to Jason Bohn,” Rollins recalled. “Being back now is amazing. The golf course is amazing and even seems to be in better shape now than it was 20 years ago.”

In 2009, Rollins won his third TOUR title at the Barracuda Championship in Reno, Nevada. Beginning in 2015, he played primarily out of the Past Champion category.

“At that point, in my 40s, I was kind of counting days and flipping months trying to get to this point of the Champions Tour,” Rollins said. “That felt like an eternity. From that 45-50 age range, I wasn’t playing a lot on TOUR anymore. I did some broadcasting, which I liked. But, I got to the point where I wanted to play and compete again. It’s what I’d done for decades.”

And, beginning this week at the DICK'S Open, he will begin again.

“My game feels pretty good,” Rollins said. “I feel like it has gotten a lot better than where it was a few years ago. I’ve reconnected with Randy Smith, so it has been a big help having his watchful eye on me and getting me going again in the right direction.”

With ball-striking having always been his bread and butter, Rollins admits that putting and chipping has always been streaky: hot and cold.

“I’ve told myself to be patient with my game and be patient getting back into tournament golf,” Rollins said. “The more I can play, the better off I’ll be and hopefully see positive results.”

In the months leading up to this week, Rollins has absorbed all kinds of advice, direction and recommendations to help make the transition as seamless as possible.

“Lanny Wadkins told me to be prepared to come out here and play,” he said. “He noted how strong the competition out here is. He said the last thing I want to do is just show up and think I can get it done week in and out. I know I have to work hard and put the time in. I’m just excited for the challenge and to see what kind of mark I can make.”

Rollins will begin his Champions Tour playing out of the All-Time Money category, which prevents him from picking and choosing a schedule right away. He has, however, remained diligent by writing letters to tournament directors in hopes of securing spots in upcoming fields.

“I have to play the game, let myself get back into tournament golf and competition, but also just enjoy the opportunity to be out here,” he said. “That’s the great thing about PGA TOUR Champions and just being out here. I’ve played a long time on the PGA TOUR and now have this opportunity to play the game at 50 and older. So, a lot of my hope is to be able to come out here, enjoy it and enjoy myself. I hope to have fun with it and see where the game goes.”

Being a rookie, Rollins noted with a laugh based on his travel woes this week that he doesn’t yet have a strong grip on the travel habits and patterns guys out here stick by.

“But, I’ll learn,” he laughed. “I’m just really excited to be here this week to see a lot of the guys I competed with on the PGA TOUR. I haven’t seen many of them in years. I’ve been thinking about turning 50 and hitting the Champions Tour a lot. I’ve been talking to a lot of people about it. It has been a day and moment that I’ve looked forward to for a long time … and, here it is starting this week at the DICK'S Open.”