By Amanda Little

Last updated 09:00, Friday, 05 September 2008

Cumbria's star recruit Gary Wolstenholme has quit amateur golf to turn professional – at the age of 48.

Wolstenholme: ‘It's a little bit frightening because it's a massive change’

The former Walker Cup player, who famously defeated American superstar Tiger Woods at Royal Porthcawl in a singles match in 1995, is one of the world’s most capped amateur golfers.

But he has decided to test himself as a pro because strict rules governing amateur status mean he is unable to make a living from golf.

He ultimately has his sights set on joining the European Seniors Tour when he turns 50 in two years’ time, and playing alongside the likes of Ian Woosnam, Bernhard Langer and Costantino Rocca, but in the meantime hopes to play on the European Tour and the tour one rung below it, the Challenge Tour.

He will make his Challenge Tour debut at the Kazakhstan Open, starting on September 18, before making his European Tour debut at the Portugal Masters after receiving a sponsors’ invitation.

Before that the two-times British champion, who represented his country 218 times over 21 years, will be taking part in the European Tour pre-qualifying process at Dundonald, near Glasgow, starting on Tuesday.

Wolstenholme, who has played in all but two of Cumbria’s games this season including last month’s ‘Big Six’ on the Isle of Man, has just one regret as turning pro means he will not take a role he has always craved - Walker Cup captain.

He said: “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.

“It's a little bit frightening because it's a massive change and it’s all happened so quickly, 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 golf at 50 and because my amateur status prevented me taking a couple of job opportunities.”

Wolstenholme missed Cumbria’s 11-7 victory over Durham at Dinsdale Spa – a result which secured them second place behind Lancashire in the Northern Counties League.

Captain Cliff Heath believes the opening day defeat to Lancashire cost his players the title after the Red Rose county clinched their first title in 11 years by two points after their victory over Northumberland.

He said: “We’re disappointed not to win the league because we put a really good effort in.

“It was down to the first game when Lancashire caught us on the hop even though we thought we had prepared well for that game.

“In the end we didn’t miss out by much. The team spirit has been excellent all season and the way they responded to the need for coaching was great. When people recognise that, you automatically improve and we invested a lot of money in that.”