Golf: Leading amateur counts herself out of contention

New Zealand has lost the services of the country's best amateur woman golfer for an indefinite period.

Tina Howard has withdrawn from consideration for the team to contest the five-nation Commonwealth tournament in Auckland in November.

It is not clear if or when Howard, 25, will resume playing competitively and she could not be contacted to explain the reasons behind her decision.

But national selector Cherry Kingham confirmed yesterday that Howard had indicated she wanted to take a break from a sport that has dominated her life.

Howard, a senior national representative since 1998, has played in two world teams championships and several Queen Sirikit Cup Asia-Pacific teams events.

She helped New Zealand to finish fifth in the Queen Sirikit Cup this month in Korea, and was in the team who won the title five years ago in New Zealand.

Howard's commitment to the game was called into question last month when she did not apply for the women's Titleist Academy programme.

Kingham said there had been earlier signs that Howard, who works at night in a restaurant, was struggling to maintain a high level of commitment to the game.

Her participation "hasn't been that crash-hot all year, to tell you the truth," Kingham said.

"She hasn't appeared at any events; she hasn't appeared at high-performance camps, even though she was invited to go.

"Because of her high placing on the rankings list she would have been an automatic selection for our team for the Commonwealth tournament.

"I rang her to see whether she was available and she said no.

"She said her parents weren't going to support her any more and that she needs to work.

"That was the end of the story. It was a very short, sharp conversation."

Howard's talents attracted the attention of American college scouts, who enticed her to the United States on a scholarship, but she returned home to Taupo in 2000 only two years into the four-year programme, saying she felt her game could develop better in New Zealand.

She has toyed with the idea of turning professional and was keen to try to qualify for the LPGA Tour in the United States last year. Those plans evaporated when she could not raise the estimated $25,000 needed to fund the challenge.

Kingham said she was frustrated that Howard had not informed officials earlier of her situation.

"There's been enough opportunity for her to contact us. We've had nothing from her.

"Our spies tell us she's been doing a bit of practice, but nothing much, and that she hasn't been available for Bay of Plenty."

Kingham said she was at a loss to predict what Howard would do.

"She said she might see what she does next year.

"I think she still has dreams of going to the States, but whether that becomes reality I don't know."

- NZPA