Walker Cup captain Colin Dalgleish today insisted he was hopeful that new golf sensation Shane Lowry will stay amateur until he has competed against the Americans in September.

Shock Irish Open champion Shane Lowry woke up this morning with a huge decision facing him.

IT will be today at the earliestbefore the sensational new 3 Irish Open champion, Shane Lowry,decides whether to turn professional immediately or to wait until after the Walker Cup match between Europe and the USA in September.

SHANE LOWRY, the leading Irish contender for the Walker Cup team to take on the Americans at Merion next August, entered the 3 Irish Open record books at Baltray yesterday by shooting an opening round of five under par 67.

IRISH stars Jonathan Caldwell and Shane Lowry played a key role in helping Great Britain and Ireland establish a comfortable first-day advantage against the Continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy match at Kingsbarns yesterday.

Britain and Ireland’s amateurs needed a near miracle to win back the Walker Cup at Royal County Down today after being whitewashed in the second series of foursomes.

The United States held the early advantage when they began the defence of the Walker Cup against Britain and Ireland’s amateurs at Royal County Down in the North today.

Ever since Tiger Woods was beaten by Gary Wolstenholme at Royal Porthcawl in 1995 Britain and Ireland’s amateurs have gone into the Walker Cup with high hopes and believing anything is possible.

Seven weeks after being a star of the Open Championship 18-year-old Rory McIlroy brings down the curtain on his glittering amateur career this weekend.

WHILE they celebrated at Clandeboye Golf Club last night after the inclusion of Jonathan Caldwell in the British & Irish team to play the US in the Walker Cup at Royal Co Down on September 9 and 10, there was disappointment at Banbridge when Richard Kilpatrick was omitted.

Walker Cup skipper Colin Dalgleish has hailed Holywood star Rory McIlroy as a similar talent to Spanish wonderkid Sergio Garcia.

Demand is certain to exceed supply after the decision to put a crowd limit of 10,000 on Britain and Ireland’s attempt to regain the Walker Cup – the amateur equivalent of the Ryder Cup – at Royal County Down in the North on September 8-9.

FINE GAEL leader Enda Kenny last night insisted Ireland needs an official “name-and-shame” website to help hunt down paedophiles on the run.

Seventeen-year-olds Rory McIlroy and Oliver Fisher are both in the Britain and Ireland team for the St Andrews Trophy match against Continental Europe in the Czech Republic on September 1-2.

Former Scottish champion Colin Dalgleish will captain Britain and Ireland when they try to win back the Walker Cup from the US at Royal County Down in September 2007.