Professional game fails to entice Fox

At leading amateur events these days, it's almost obligatory to end a player interview with a question about a possible professional career. But it didn't apply to the winner of the Ulster Bank-sponsored Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin on Sunday, as Noel Fox has already decided firmly against such a move.

For most of his younger colleagues, however, the beckoning light burns brightly. And against that background, it was interesting to note the reaction of South Africa's Nico LeGrange, who was the leading overseas challenger in fifth place.

The 20-year-old from Johannesburg is the son of Cobie LeGrange, a former tournament professional who won 19 events, including two victories in the Dunlop Masters. So, was the youngster ready to turn professional?

"On the advice of my father, no," he replied. He then explained: "My father's thinking is that if a player can't break 70 in competition on any course, anywhere in the world, he has no business in professional ranks. My scores here this weekend confirm I'm not ready."

In the event, LeGrange shot rounds of 70,74,74,71 for an aggregate of 289, which was an admirable performance.

Fox is a successful player with three championship triumphs and by his own admission, wanted to pursue a professional career. But enlightenment came to him while watching aspiring US Tour players struggle on the Florida satellite tours.

"I could see they were very good players, but it was also apparent that they faced a terrible struggle to try and earn a living from the game," said the 26-year-old member of Portmarnock. "That convinced me I wasn't good enough."

Leonard Owens, the resident professional at Royal Dublin, articulated the dilemma facing most enlightened fathers of gifted young players. His 18-year-old son, Lee, who did well to make the cut at Dollymount last weekend in his first appearance in a senior tournament, is looking towards a tournament career.

"I know how difficult it is but at the same time, I have no wish to crush Lee's dreams," said Owens. "All I can do is offer him advice."

So, how difficult is it to make the breakthrough? Leading experts are of the view that there are only two places on the European Tour each year for the entire amateur complement from Ireland and Britain.

Meanwhile, only eight Irish players, five of them from Ulster clubs, will challenge for the British Amateur Championship at the Royal Liverpool Club, Hoylake, in a fortnight. Not even the prospect of a winner's exemption into the British Open and next year's US Masters has swollen their numbers.

The rather modest representation is explained, in part, by a clash with the second provincial "major" of the domestic season. Not for the first time, the East of Ireland at Baltray overlaps with the British amateur championship for one day.

Yet, numerically, the Irish challenge is a poor one, especially when contrasted with the fact that 50 Americans and 22 South Africans are among the 288 players competing in 36-hole strokeplay qualifying at Hoylake and Wallasey, before the top 64 progress to the matchplay stage. Players with a handicap of plus 0.4 (exact) were involved in a ballot for the final places.

Mark Campbell, the reigning South of Ireland champion, has decided to bypass the East of Ireland in favour of the British event. He will be joined by former Irish strokeplay champion Michael Hoey (Shandon Park), Peter Martin (Balmoral), Michael McGeady (City of Derry), Colm Moriarty (Athlone), Chris Moriarty (Clandeboye), Tim Rice (Limerick) and Andy McCormick (Scrabo) in the event which takes place from June 5th-10th. Of the eight, only Campbell, Hoey and McCormick have been capped at full international level.

Hoey and McCormick, meanwhile, form part of an official six-man GUI party which will compete in this weekend's St Andrews Links Trophy over the Old Course. Fox and his predecessor as Irish Open champion, Gary Cullen, are also included in the party which is completed by West of Ireland champion Eamonn Brady (Royal Dublin) and Irish close champion Ciaran McMonagle (Dunfanaghy).