Won Joon Lee and Andrew Tampion, two members of Australia s Eisenhower Trophy team that recently competed in South Africa at the World Amateur Teams Championships, have turned professional. Lee will travel to Japan this week to play on a sponsors invite in the years remaining few events, including the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament in Japan, in which Tiger Woods is the defending champion. Playing these events is part of Won Joon s plan to secure a card on the Japanese Tour in 2007 as the next stage of his development. Due to this he will miss the MFS Australian Open next week however, Golf Australia CEO, Tony Hallam, is understanding saying, The objective of our elite development program is to produce top 100 players in the world. We appreciate that playing tournaments in Japan is a major opportunity for Won Joon to secure his playing card for 2007 and this is a step in achieving this ambition. Andrew Tampion boarded a plane immediately after the World Amateur Team Championships and headed to Spain for the second stage of qualifying for the European Tour School. I felt the time was right. I am rapt that I had the chance to finish my amateur days playing for Australia , said Tampion from South Africa. Golf Australia CEO, Tony Hallam, added Having two of our top amateur players turn professional illustrates the depth of talent we have in Australia . When you are as good as these young guys are, turning professional is a logical step in their career and development as elite players. Next week at Royal Sydney, the MFS Australian Open will truly demonstrate just how good Australian golfers are. We look forward to producing more world-class athletes, added Hallam. Tampion and Lee were long term members of the Golf Australia National Squad, having won a string of National amateur events between them.
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