Walker Cup player David Boote has turned professional and will represent Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, where he has been a member for the past 13 years.
The 23-year-old Welshman will be the club’s touring professional and will carry the Walton Heath crest and name on his golf bag. The new agreement with Walton Heath commences this week, as the two-time Walton Heath club champion makes his European Tour professional debut in the Portugal Masters.
A graduate of Stanford University in California, Boote was the lone winner for GB&I in the final series of singles in the Walker Cup match held at Los Angeles Country Club earlier this month. Despite that superb performance in beating the reigning US Amateur champion Doc Redman on the last green, the Surrey-based Welshman was unable to halt a landslide victory for the host nation, which ran out comfortable 19-7 winners.
However, his contribution enabled him to end his amateur career on a high note, and he embarked on his professional career the following week at Challenge Tour’s Irish Challenge, where he missed the cut by one shot after shooting rounds of 76 and 72.
Boote has already acquitted himself superbly alongside the professionals this season. In the US Open Qualifier at Walton Heath in May, he shot a record 62 over the New Course, before just missing out on a precious place in the year’s second Major after a play-off. He then suffered a similar fate at Cinque Ports when attempting to qualify for the Open in July, again losing out in a play-off.
Walton Heath’s men’s captain, Iain Cruickshank, said: “We are delighted that David will represent Walton Heath as our touring professional, and we are certain that he will be a tremendous ambassador for the club.
“As well as being a very fine golfer, David is a terrific person, and we are sure that the name and crest of Walton Heath on his golf bag will be carried with great distinction. Everyone associated with the club wishes David the best of luck as he embarks on this exciting new chapter of his golfing career.”
Boote said: “I’ve had a really exciting last year in amateur golf, The support I received from club members in the US Open qualifier was tremendous, and makes me really appreciate what an honour and privilege it is to represent Walton Heath as its touring professional. I am looking forward to travelling to pro tournaments representing the club. It’s great to know that I will continue to use the brilliant facilities to help my preparation, and I hope I can do Walton Heath proud through my performances.
Looking back on an ultimately unsuccessful Walker Cup campaign, he added: “It was really cool to come down the last in my singles with a one-hole lead and 5,000 or 6,000 people watching. Although we had already lost the match, I was keen to win my point. It’s certainly given me a taste of things to come!”
Speaking about his professional debut in Ireland, Boote added: “I was fortunate to receive an invitation to play on the Challenge Tour, and just missed the cut, but I was probably tired after the Walker Cup, and possibly needed the weekend to re-charge the batteries. I was thrilled to get a call on Sunday to say I was into the Portugal Masters, which should be good preparation for my attempt to get a Tour Card through the Qualifying School.”