With an eye on making next year's U.S. Walker Cup team, Dan Woltman has decided to put off his professional golf career for at least another month.

Woltman, the University of Wisconsin senior-to-be from Beaver Dam, said Wednesday he will remain an amateur for next week's U.S. Bank Championship at  Milwaukee's Brown Deer Park Golf Course.

"I haven't really been able to test my game against the best players in the world," said Woltman, who earned an exemption into the USBC via his 2007 Wisconsin State Open victory. "I've played against the best amateurs in the world and I've played pretty well against them. But this is a good opportunity to test my game against (the best pros) and see if I'm ready."

Woltman, the 49th-ranked amateur in the world according to Golfweek, has been playing the national amateur tournament circuit this summer.

Most recently, Woltman tied for 15th at the rain-shortened Sahalee Players Championship in Sammamish, Wash. Woltman, 21, also took second place last month in the prestigious Sunnehanna Amateur.

Even through the Wisconsin State Amateur is at Beaver Dam's Old Hickory Country Club — Woltman's home course as a youth — the 2006 State Am champ will not attend and instead will play in the prestigious Porter Cup in Lewiston, N.Y.

Woltman will also attempt to qualify for the U.S. Amateur this summer, but said he could decide to turn pro before school begins this fall.

Woltman is playing the national schedule in an attempt to qualify for the 2009 Walker Cup matches at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., a Ryder Cup-style event for amateurs run by the United States Golf Association. Ten amateurs from the United States play 10 from Europe.

"To be able to play on the Walker Cup and represent your country would be a dream come true for me," Woltman said.

Witt makes amends

Blackhawk Country Club pro Rick Witt used the word "redemption" to describe his first victory at the WPGA Professional Championship on Tuesday.

Witt, 40, carded a three-round score of 1-under 212 (68-71-73) at Tripoli Country Club in Milwaukee and earned one of five spots into next year's PGA Professional National Championship.

But it was this year's National Club Pro tournament in June that was hard to forget.

Witt was 5-under-par on his first 63 holes of the tournament in Greensboro, Ga., but shot a 43 on his final nine to finish tied for 41st. The top 20 golfers at 1-under 287 or better earned spots in this year's PGA at Oakland Hills.

"This win (Tuesday) was a little redemption, I guess," Witt said. "Maybe the experience helped out a bit."

Witt will be joined at next year's national event by SentryWorld pro and former UW athlete Ryan Helminen (214), Cherokee Country Club pro Larry Tiziani (216), UW men's coach Jim Schuman (218) and Brookfield's Mark Voeller (219).

Divots

Beaver Dam native Austin Ehlenfeldt will transfer from UW to UW-Green Bay, Schuman said. UW will replace Ehlenfeldt and outgoing senior Jeff Kaiser with incoming freshmen Brady Keegan (Eau Claire) and Thomas Welk (Bismarck, N.D.). Schuman said no other roster changes, other than the potential departure of Woltman, are expected. … General admission tickets to the U.S. Bank Championship, July 17 to 20, are available online for $20 through Sunday at www.usbankchampionship.com or by calling 414-431-GOLF. They are available for $25 at the gate. Children 12 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult.