Golf Events / Bill Elliott / 19 May 2009 / Leave a comment

There'll be no repeat of Shane Lowry's odds-defying victory this week as it's strictly professionals in Surrey. Bill Elliott will be there...

The delight that cascaded over the County Louth Golf Club in Baltray on Sunday when Shane Lowry won the Irish Open was understandable. This, without doubt, is the most significant achievement by a European amateur of my lifetime. And, of course, it follows on Danny Lee's amateur victory at the Johnnie Walker Classic in February.

Lee is now professional - he turned pro after playing in the US Masters last month, his invitation following on his win in the US Amateur Championship last year - and Lowry will also be pro sooner rather than later. The chubby 22-year-old's sensational weekend means that, if he chooses to, he now has a two year exemption on the European circuit.

This is simply too good to turn down and although he has resisted the chance to turn pro and pick up a spot in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week he has hinted already that his non-paid days are drifting away. "I can't see myself playing amateur golf after what's happened, it would be taking a step down, " he said after reflecting on the fact that he had just beaten eight of the world's top 50 players including Padraig Harrington.

But while Lowry ponders on exactly when to take a big step into the unknown - he desperately wants to play against the USA in the Walker Cup come September - the bigger question outside his house is why is this happening. Well, as ever the answer is fairly obvious and yet not straightforward.

Part of it, however, is the Tiger Woods influence. Tiger's approach to the game, hell his approach to life, has shaped the ambition and the work ethic of the likes of Lowry and Lee. It used to be that an amateur golfer was a bit shambolic in his approach to the old challenges. Not now. Now they are not just more focused and committed to the task but they are encouraged by a gaggle of helpers, at least some of whom hope to have a slice of their financial future.

Fact is that a genuinely top class amateur is now a pro in everything except name and the money he can legitimately earn. Do you think the likes of Rory McIlroy was not being courted by a collection of agents, ball-makers, club manufacturers and clothing people before he turned pro? Of course he was.

This modern approach means that top class amateurs can now hit the ground running. Almost certainly there will be several sharp-suited men panting to keep up with them when they do it.

Even so, Lowry's achievement is outstanding. A total of 63euro was traded on Lowry to win last week at odds of [1000.0] and you'd have to wonder where even this paltry amount came from. Personally, I wouldn't have bet it even after he had got in the play-off against Robert Rock who has yet to win on the European Tour and who, despite trousering the 500,000euro first prize, must now be smarting very badly indeed.

I suppose it shows that punters can use all the slide-rules they want, all the computer programmes analysing form they wish, and the fates can still trip us all up. This may be a frustration but it is also the glory of betting on games. And despite the evidence of the last few months it does not happen often enough to cause anyone to lose sleep.

What we can say here is that no amateur will win the PGA title come next Sunday for the simple, unavoidable reason that there aren't any in the field. And what we can also say is that this is a terrific field assembling in Surrey.

There are only three notable absentees, Padraig Harrington (he doesn't like the greens), Sergio Garcia (he doesn't like the British tax system on image rights) and Ian Poulter (apparently he is unhappy with the crease in his trousers at present). But we do have everyone else of note in Europe including Masters champ Angel Cabrera ([18.0]), a former winner of course, and Henrik Stenson, Players' victor and ([14.5]) favourite.

Backing these guys up will be the likes of Paul Casey ([16.5]), Justin Rose ([46.0]) and Luke Donald ([25.0]) who are making the trip back across the Atlantic to support their home tour. In there too will be Rory McIlroy. McIlroy stayed behind to cheer on Lowry last Sunday and supplied champagne to the Media Centre to celebrate his friend's win.

When I asked him what he thought of his chances at Wentworth the wee Belfast boy thought for a moment and then replied: "Well, I'd hope they'd be very good to be honest." Just thought you would like to know...