Walker Cup carrot won't stop Kellett turning pro

ROSS Kellett, Scotland's highest-ranked amateur, has revealed he won't be hanging around to play in next year's Walker Cup at Royal Aberdeen because he feels such an honour counts for little in the professional game.

The 22-year-old from Colville Park, one of four Scots named in the Great Britain & Ireland squad for this season's St Andrews Trophy match against the Continent of Europe, is gearing up instead for a switch to the paid ranks later in the year.

He will enter the European Tour Qualifying School and will definitely turn professional before the start of next season if, at the very least, he can secure a Challenge Tour card.

"I have spoken to Gavin (Dear] and Wallace (Booth] about the Walker Cup and they said they don't feel it is the be all and end all," said Kellett, who chalked up three runner-up finishes in top amateur events around the globe last year and is currently the world No49.

"Although it is nice to represent Great Britain & Ireland against America, you shouldn't stay amateur just for that because, once you turn professional, no-one is saying you are super or can definitely beat them because you played in the Walker Cup. They probably wouldn't care so I don't think it is as important as some people say."

In recent years, Pablo Martin, Danny Lee and Shane Lowry have all won European Tour events while still amateurs, the latter lifting the Irish Open title in a play-off at County Louth last season. The week before, Kellett had played with Lowry in the Irish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship and the Scot believes he could just as easily enjoy such a life-changing experience.

"You can only take inspiration from those guys winning," added Kellett, who is joining forces with David Law, Philip McLean and James White in the European Nations Cup, formerly the Sherry Cup, which gets underway at Copa Real Golf Club in Sotogrande tomorrow.

"I spoke to Shane on the Sunday of the Irish Stroke Play last year and asked him when he was going to the Brabazon Trophy the following week. He said he wasn't going there as he was playing in the Irish Open and, lo and behold, he's the champion the following week.

"While these sort of wins aren't common, it shows that amateurs can achieve life-changing successes and, if people I am used to playing against in the amateur ranks can do it, then I can, too."

• The Omega Mission Hills World Cup will return to the calendar in 2011 as a biennial event, with a record prize fund of $7.5million. The two-man team event, won by Italian brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari last year, will be staged at the Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island in southern China from 24-27 November next year.

The move to a biennial event follows last year's decision by the International Olympic Committee to reintroduce golf to the Olympics from 2016.