Senior’s comeback purely a one-off

AUSTRALIAN golf legend Peter Senior has made it clear he has not decided on a one-off return to the main tour to simply make up the numbers.

Indeed, the 58-year-old elder statesman of Aussie golf sparked up when asked if he can get through the 72 holes of the Gold Coast’s Australian PGA Championship from November 30 to December 3.

Senior has not played a regular Tour event since the 2015 Australian Open when longterm back pain forced him to quit and eventually led him to announce his retirement from tournament golf.

But some friendly urging from wife June led him to apply for a place in the PGA field this month where he will be chasing his fourth event title – he previously won the PGA in 1989, 2003 and 2010.

Senior has kept his hand in by playing Legends Tour proam events but none are over four days like the PGA is.

Asked if he feels his back can stand up to four says, if he makes the 36-hole cut, Senior responded: “What do you mean if I make the cut?”

In semi-retirement, Senior said the lure of playing on home turf in front of family and friends convinced him to tee it up in the PGA.

Senior took some persuading to compete but with his wife June spearheading the campaign the three-times PGA champion he was a lastminute addition to the field.

Among Senior’s 34 worldwide tournament wins are 23 in Australia including the 1989, 2003 and 2010 PGA Championships.

One friend particularly interested in Senior’s return to tournament golf is past US PGA winner Wayne Grady.

“When I retired Grades said I’d be back,” Senior said.

“I said I’d give him $1 million if I did, so I might have to go on the payment plan.”

Senior has been practising strongly with Gary Edwin at the Glades and is comfortable with where his game is at.

“I feel I’m playing well enough to play,” he said. “If I wasn’t I wouldn’t tee it up.”