GOLF: Christy O'Connor Jnr is currently preparing for what he anticipates will be his last season as a tournament golfer. He is heading for the US on January 20th and will return to the senior circuit there after an absence of almost a year because of a broken left leg.

O'Connor's first comeback tournament will be the ACE Group Classic at Twin Eagles, Naples, Florida from February 8th to 10th. He will then play the Venizon Classic at Tampa the following week and will complete an initial, three-week stint with the Audi Senior Classic in Mexico City on February 22nd to 24th.

"I've been playing golf with friends in Lahinch and I feel in terrific shape," he said yesterday. "The leg is 100 per cent and, naturally, I'm looking forward to a return to action. But this will be my wind-up season. I'm getting more and more involved in design work, which I find very satisfying."

The Twin Eagles appearance will be his first tournament since the Siebel Classic, which ended in Silicon Valley on March 18th last year. Less than two weeks later, at his home in Clarinbridge, he sustained serious fractures of the left leg when a motorcycle fell on him.

As it happened, he had been progressing nicely in his third season on the US Seniors' Tour, having finished tied sixth in the Venizon Classic, tied 33rd in the Mexico Senior Classic, tied 49th in the SBC Senior event and tied 18th in Silicon Valley, for prize money totalling $18,835. Because of the accident, the tour have granted him a special medical extension.

"They've told me that I'm guaranteed 24 tournament appearances up to August but I won't play that many," O'Connor went on. "I'll probably settle for about 16. Either way, I know I can rely on sponsors' invitations whenever the need arises."

O'Connor is highly regarded in the US. This stems from his background as a Ryder Cup player and his victories in the State Farm Classic and the Foremost Insurance Championship, both in 1999. In fact, by capturing the State Farm event near Baltimore, he joined Gary McCord as the only other player to win an event after a sponsor's invitation. Then, of course, there were back-to-back wins in the Senior British Open in 1999 and 2000.

Missing the opportunity of a third successive triumph at Royal Co Down last July was the cruellest aspect of his enforced absence from the game. So, it is hardly surprising that this year's event looms large in his plans for the summer months. He is also looking towards the AIB Irish Seniors Open at Adare, to which he is attached as tournament professional, and may attempt to qualify for the British Open at Muirfield.

Then there is his course-design work. "I have five projects on hand at the moment, including developments in Nigeria and China," he said. "So I will have plenty to keep myself occupied in the months ahead."

And what is he hoping for from his last season on tour? "Oh I would love to win again," he replied. "That would be a tremendous consolation for the disappointment of last year."

Meanwhile, O'Connor will be joined at Royal Co Down by Arthur Pierse, who gained the distinction of winning the amateur medal there last year. As a reward, the former Tipperary international has been exempted from the qualifying stage for this year's championship.

But a real surprise was recent notification that the USGA had made him an honorary member of their association for this year. "Though I can't see it being of any practical use to me, it remains a tremendous gesture," said Pierse yesterday. "In fact it's one of the nicest things that's happened to me in golf."

The honour follows his achievement in completing four rounds in the US Senior Open at Salem CC, Massachusetts last July. Having had his 50th birthday shortly beforehand, Pierse entered by way of a golfing celebration.

It meant getting through a sectional qualifying process which he did comfortably, finishing third in the challenging group at Fairmont CC with a solid 71. Then, in the championship proper, he carded rounds of 76, 72, 76, 75 for an aggregate of 299 which gave him a share of 55th place, a stroke ahead of none other than Gary Player.

As it happened, three American amateurs finished ahead of him with the honour of leading amateur going to Paul Simson from Raleigh, North Carolina. But Pierse got a commemorative medal, which was clearly deserved, given that he had the distinction of being the leading European, amateur or professional.

So, is he ready for a return challenge when the championship is staged at Caves Valley GC, Maryland on June 24th to 30th? "No," he replied. "Last year's appearance was simply something I did to celebrate being 50. But I might give it another go sometime down the road."

He should be well qualified to do so, given that he retains a handicap of plus one out of Tipperary GC.