Already, the exodus has started. No sooner had a record five Irish players contributed to a record winning margin for Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup – with a 16 ½ to 9 ½ win triumph over the United States – than a number of them were preparing to move on to start a new golfing life in the professional ranks.

Gavin Moynihan will make his professional debut as early as this week’s Italian Open on the European Tour, where he is competing on a sponsor’s invitation, while Gary Hurley and Paul Dunne are set to commence the professional journey through the European Tour’s qualifying stages in the coming days.

First step

Hurley competes in Stage One in Scotland, starting tomorrow, and Dunne is set to play in Austria next week as his first step towards Q-School. Dunne, from Greystones in Co Wicklow, is also set to avail of sponsors’ invites to play in the upcoming Dunhill Links and the British Masters.

The moving on from the amateur ranks to the professional game is a rite of passage for Walker Cup players who aspire to progress their careers and no fewer than half of Nigel Edwards’ team are making the transition: the Irish trio of Moynihan, Hurley and Dunne are also joined by the English duo of Jimmy Mullen and Ashley Chesters, all hopeful their status as impressive Walker Cup winners will help open some doors with invitations to professional events.

Very special

Nigel Edwards, the Britain and Ireland captain, who has overseen wins in two of the last three Walker Cups at Aberdeen in 2011 and now here at Lytham, remarked: “We wanted to do something very special. But clearly, you can’t always control the outcome . . .”

All five Irishmen contributed points to the result, with Cormac Sharvin emerging with a one hundred per cent record after winning all three of his matches.