Golf: Lee excited to be back on tour

Richard Lee. Photo / Dean Purcell

Richard Lee is both excited and relieved to be heading back to the Japan Golf Tour in 2012, with another cause for celebration the fact he and his wife are expecting their first child next year.

The Auckland professional, who struggled in his return to the tour in 2011, went back to qualifying school and progressed from a field of 200 golfers from around the world after six rounds at the final stage of qualifying.

It is an arduous route to the Japan Tour with 1500 players playing the tour school every year starting from stage one through to the final fourth stage.

"I'm always a little anxious heading into a tour school,'' he said.

"There's a lot riding on it because if I missed I have no tour to play on next year apart from the NZPGA circuit. I felt added pressure as my wife [Minako] is pregnant and due at the end of April.''

After four rounds the field was cut to 90 plus ties and Lee was among those to progress. He finished 25th but after a count back he got card number 28.

Lee, 38, the only man to shoot a 59 in tournament golf in New Zealand, said the key to his successful week of qualifying was ball-striking and putting.