Gary Wolstenholme turns professional
at the age of 48
FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
England's most capped amateur Gary Wolstenholme is turning professional at the age of 48 - and doing so with one big regret.
The twice British champion, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who represented his country 218 times over 21 years and famously beat Tiger Woods in the 1995 Walker Cup, is entering the first stage of The European Tour qualifying school at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire next week.
He has already received an invitation to the following week's Kazakhstan Open on the Challenge Tour and hopes he might then play on the main circuit at the Portugal Masters next month.
But what it all means is that he will not take a role he has always craved - Walker Cup Captain.
"That's one of the few regrets I have, but once the idea of turning pro was thrown at me by one of my coaches three months ago the more I thought about it the more sense it made,” he said.
"It's a little bit frightening because it's a massive change, but it's also hugely exciting.
"There are people who thought I would never do it, but I've decided to do it now to get prepared for seniors (tour) golf at 50 and because my amateur status prevented me taking a couple of job opportunities."
In June Wolstenholme, who played in five Walker Cups and is Britain and Ireland's record points-scorer, battled his way into a play-off against European Tour players at the US Open qualifier at Walton Heath.
After losing the play-off he travelled to Torrey Pines as a reserve, but played the first two rounds when Sean O'Hair withdrew injured.
Wolstenholme has twice competed in The Masters Tournament as British amateur champion and in the first of them in 1992 he partnered Arnold Palmer and led the tournament by going to the turn in three under par.
Sadly, though, he came home in 39 and so missed becoming the only British amateur ever to break par in a round at Augusta.
Wolstenholme, whose late father Guy was a successful tour professional, is one of the shortest hitters to reach the top of the amateur game. To compensate, Gary has developed exceptional accuracy and a devastating short game to go with good mid-iron play.
England's most capped amateur Gary Wolstenholme is turning professional at the age of 48 - and doing so with one big regret.
The twice British champion, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who represented his country 218 times over 21 years and famously beat Tiger Woods in the 1995 Walker Cup, is entering the first stage of The European Tour qualifying school at Dundonald Links, Ayrshire next week.
He has already received an invitation to the following week's Kazakhstan Open on the Challenge Tour and hopes he might then play on the main circuit at the Portugal Masters next month.
But what it all means is that he will not take a role he has always craved - Walker Cup Captain.
"That's one of the few regrets I have, but once the idea of turning pro was thrown at me by one of my coaches three months ago the more I thought about it the more sense it made,” he said.
"It's a little bit frightening because it's a massive change, but it's also hugely exciting.
"There are people who thought I would never do it, but I've decided to do it now to get prepared for seniors (tour) golf at 50 and because my amateur status prevented me taking a couple of job opportunities."
In June Wolstenholme, who played in five Walker Cups and is Britain and Ireland's record points-scorer, battled his way into a play-off against European Tour players at the US Open qualifier at Walton Heath.
After losing the play-off he travelled to Torrey Pines as a reserve, but played the first two rounds when Sean O'Hair withdrew injured.
Wolstenholme has twice competed in The Masters Tournament as British amateur champion and in the first of them in 1992 he partnered Arnold Palmer and led the tournament by going to the turn in three under par.
Sadly, though, he came home in 39 and so missed becoming the only British amateur ever to break par in a round at Augusta.
Wolstenholme, whose late father Guy was a successful tour professional, is one of the shortest hitters to reach the top of the amateur game. To compensate, Gary has developed exceptional accuracy and a devastating short game to go with good mid-iron play.
Labels: Pro Men
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, September 03, 2008
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