Matthew Nixon, who helped England retain the Home Internationals title at Welsh club Ashburnham last weekend, has been rewarded with a place in the Great Britain and Ireland team to face the Continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy in Italy at the end of the month.

The 21-year-old Ashton-under-Lyne player, with a world ranking of 14, is one of nine players who will travel to Castelconturbia and his selection coincided with Wednesday night’s announcement that his England and Lancashire team-mate, Tommy Fleetwood, had turned professional as predicted by MEN Sport three weeks ago.

The English champion and Walker Cup star from Formby Hall has signed up with Los Angeles-based Wasserman Media Group whose head of golf is Brendan Taylor, son of snooker legend Dennis.

With fellow internationals and Lancastrians James Robinson, from Billinge, and Heysham’s Jack Senior looking likely to join the paid ranks before the end of the season, Nixon revealed he is in no hurry to join them.

“I’m going to European Tour School in the autumn and I’ll wait to see what happens.

“If I don’t get through I’ll stay amateur and target a place in next year’s Walker Cup side.” Tweet