Paddy Gribben's metamorphosis from struggling professional back to elite amateur is now complete after his contribution to Britain and Ireland's success in the 21st Eisenhower Trophy, for the world amateur team championship, in Santiago, Chile.

Earlier this season the Warrenpoint player became the first Irish winner of the European amateur individual championship, when he triumphed at Bordeaux in France, and his year has reached dizzying heights with this latest success, when he teamed up with English duo Gary Wolstenholme and Luke Donald and Scotland's Lorne Kelly to gain a four-stroke victory ahead of Australia.

It was only the fourth time that the Britain and Ireland team has claimed the title, but it was the first outside of Europe - the previous wins were achieved in Rome (1964), Penina, Portugal ('76) and Stockholm ('88). Peter McEvoy, this year's captain, was also on the 1988 winning team, when two Irishmen, Garth McGimpsey and Eoghan O'Connell, played key roles.

Last month, there were some behind-the-scenes moves by the English and Scottish unions aimed at the possibility of the four `home' unions going it alone for future Eisenhower Trophy competitions, so it remains to be seen if all four countries will compete at the next staging in Berlin in 2000. Either way, Gribben has earned a much-deserved place in the history books. He was reinstated as an amateur last year after a disappointing but brief spell as a professional and earned a call-up to the Irish team for the Home Internationals. The Ulsterman has blossomed this season: he won the North of Ireland championship, the European strokeplay title (which earns him exemption into next year's British Open) and, now, the Eisenhower.

Britain and Ireland went into the final round on Sunday four strokes behind Finland, but the Finns collapsed over the closing nine holes and collectively had 11 bogeys, a double bogey and a triple bogey in the last nine holes. By contrast, all four members of the winning team came in with a number of birdies over the closing stretch to set the clubhouse target of six under par 852, a total which proved too much for those following.

Keith Nolan failed in his attempt to win a US tour card for next season at the final qualifying school in La Quinta Dunes in California. However, he has "conditional exempt status" on the Nike Tour for next season which will ensure that he will play regular competitive golf.