Coughlan back where he belongs

Richie Coughlan returns to where he belongs today, as a full member of golf's richest tour. Just over two years after he lost his US Tour card, the 26-year-old Irishman - who regained his playing rights at last month's final qualifying school - tees-up in the Tucson Open in the Arizona desert, his first start of the season.

Much of the past two years have been spent in the relative wilderness, playing development tours - likes the Hooter's in America and the buzzgolf.com in Europe - and earning the odd invitation to rub shoulders with the guys in the big league. Now, his status is such that he will start by right in at least six of the US Tour's first eight tournaments. Destiny is in his hands.

If Coughlan is to retain his card, his primary goal for the year ahead, then his bank balance from prize money is going to have to improve by some $400,000. That's the magical mark which he estimates is required to be safe by year's end.

This time round, Coughlan - who has lost almost 20 lb thanks to a strict fitness regime of running and weights - feels better prepared. Back in 1998, he missed out on 150th place on the moneylist, and conditional status for the following season, by a mere $435.

"I believe I'm now a much stronger player," he says, "more mature, more confident now than I was when I first qualified three years ago." He also believes his putting has improved.

For today's first round in Tucson, Coughlan has been paired with Japan's Yoshinori Mizumaki and local professional Mark Hensby. The first two rounds alternate between the Gallery course and the National, with the two weekend rounds at the National.

An interesting feature of the Gallery course - where Coughlan today starts his second campaign - is that the ninth hole, a 690yard par five, is the second longest hole on the US Tour. In practice on Tuesday, John Daly very nearly became the first player to reach it in two with a drive and one-iron approach that finished just yards short of the green.

While Coughlan is the only Irishman in the field at the $3 million tournament, two other Europeans - Per-Ulrik Johansson and Emanuele Canonica - who survived tour school are also competing. All of last season's tournament winners are playing in the Mercedes championship in Hawaii, but an indication of the strength of the US Tour is that Fred Couples, Bob May, Lee Janzen and Steve Elkington are among those playing in Arizona.

Coughlan is well prepared for his seasonal debut. Having spent Christmas at home in Birr, he returned to his American base in Albany, New York, on New Year's Eve and arrived in Tucson last Sunday.

Another former Irish amateur international breaks new ground today. Peter Lawrie, who plays mainly on the European Challenge Tour, will participate in his first South African Tour event, the Nashua Nedtel Cellular Masters, which starts at the Wild Coast Sun Country Club today.

Dubliner Lawrie shot a nine-under-par 63 on Tuesday to lead the qualifying for the tournament, the first of the New Year on the Sunshine Tour.

"This is my first time in South Africa, so hopefully I can make a bit of money," said Lawrie. Among those challenging for the title are European Tour regulars Mark McNulty, a four-time winner of the event, Retief Goosen and Tony Johnstone. Desvonde Botes, who topped the European tour school last November, defends his crown.

Meanwhile, Denis O'Sullivan and Christy O'Connor Jnr are guaranteed their places in the US Senior PGA Championship which takes place at the Ridgewood Country Club, New Jersey, on May 24th-27th. A number of eligibility changes sanctioned by the PGA of America earlier this week have given them direct entry into the major.

O'Sullivan gains entry via a new rule which enables the top-eight players from the European Senior Tour order of merit to play. The Corkman won the last two tournaments on last year's tour - the Tournament of Champions at the Buckinghamshire and the Abu Dhabi Tour Championship - to finish a career-best third on the moneylist, while O'Connor's participation in the US Senior PGA is due to his status as current British Senior Open champion.