Shoebury golfer Richard McEvoy flew out on Saturday hoping to bring back amateur golf's greatest prize to British shores from America knowing that it is literally a once in a lifetime opportunity for himself.

For, on his return home from hopefully helping the Great Britain and North Ireland team to successfully defend the Walker Cup, McEvoy, 22, from the Thorpe Hall Club in Thorpe Bay, will join the sport's professional ranks.

Immediately after the Walker Cup, being played on Saturday and Sunday of next week at the Sea Island course in Georgia, finishes, McEvoy will stay in America to play in the United States Amateur Championship, for which he and the other British team members from the international clash have exemption from qualifying.

However, that will be the end of the former St Thomas More schoolboy's connections with the unpaid ranks.

Soon after his return he will hopefully take his first step towards playing on the next season's European pro tour in the home pre-qualifying stages.

If successful there, he will travel out to Spain for the second phase and then will attempt to get his playing card at the final qualifying school.

Britain's record in the Walker Cup is not strong over the years.

They've won just five times and drawn once since the biennial event started back in 1922.

However, their recent run has been improving all the time and, although they've won just once the other side of the Atlantic, victory next weekend would see them retain the prestigious trophy for the first time ever following their great win on home soil in 1999.

Said McEvoy: "Obviously it's always going to be tough in America, but we have a strong belief among our ten-strong team that we can do it.

"We have a very solid team and one that can give the Americans a real run for their money."

US test for Richard McEvoy

Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

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