Frank Kennedy turned back on Walker Cup at St Andrews after feeling 'ready' to turn professional

Frank Kennedy, a talented young Englishman who is being steered on the golf course by the legendary Fanny Sunesson, has defended his shock decision to turn professional before this year’s Walker Cup at St Andrews.

Frank Kennedy with caddie Fanny Sunesson on the putting green at The Belfry, where the young Englishman is making his prodessional debut in the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

The Florida-based 17-year-old was one of the leading contenders for Stuart Wilson’s side after vindicating his inclusion in an initial Great Britain & Ireland squad by winning the Lytham Trophy earlier in the year.

He then reached the semi-finals in last week’s R&A Amateur Championship at Hillside, losing to eventual winner Christo Lamprecht from South Africa, but that proved to be his swansong in the amateur game.

After announcing on social media over the weekend that he’d turned professional, Kennedy was handed an exciting start to the next chapter in his career by securing a late sponsor’s spot in this week’s Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at The Belfry.

Showing little signs of nerves, he opened with an impressive two-under-par 70 on Thursday and, after adding a gutsy 73 in the second circuit, he safely made the cut to guarantee an instant pay-day in the paid ranks.

“I mean, my game felt ready,” said Kennedy of why he’d made the decision at this time rather than waiting for the Walker Cup, which is being played at St Andrews for the first time since 1975. “It’s a personal decision. It was made by my team and it was made because I knew my game was ready. The past four events I had played good, so I was like ‘well, let’s turn pro when I’m on form’.”

There have been instances in the past where players have held off taking the same step to play in a Walker Cup, which is widely regarded as being the pinnacle in amateur golf, only to have gone off the boil by the time they turn professional.

“That was the thing,” added Kennedy. “I wouldn’t have been playing any golf for the next two months before it (the Walker Cup) so I thought ‘well, while I’m on form I’ll take the opportunities I’ve been given and go and see what I can do’. It’s cool to do it on the bigger stage now and it’s on to the weekend.”

Kennedy saw Wilson as recently as the St Andrews Links Trophy, but, at the time, he wasn’t in a position to share his plan. “It was a personal decision,” he reiterated. “Just truly because it is obviously selectors’ picks and it was done based off my team’s decision.”

In testing conditions on the Brabazon Course, Kennedy was out in three over in the second circuit before showing some steel by picking up three birdies in the last eight holes, which also included a closing bogey.

“Yeah, definitely,” he said of having walked up the hill from his final hole to the recorder’s area at the Ryder Cup venue with a noticeable spring in his step.

“Obviously it was a little nerve wracking when I knew I was outside the cut line with eight holes to play, so it’s cool to be through to the weekend. Having Fanny on the bag was very valuable in that position as she’s great, but, at the end of the day, you’ve still got to hit the shots and hole the putts.”