Golf: McGuire to swing clubs again

New Zealand golf's leading lady, Marnie McGuire, has ended her self-imposed exile from the sport.

The Auckland professional retired indefinitely three months ago, citing among her reasons a lack of motivation after 15 years of almost continual golf.

The 31-year-old McGuire, who has won more than $2 million in tournament earnings in her career, is to make her comeback on the LPGA Tour in the United States tomorrow.

She is scheduled to contest the $US750,000 ($1,715,854) Oldsmobile Classic in Michigan, her first competitive outing since April.

She intends contesting the next five tournaments on the LPGA roster, although her plans beyond that remain unclear.

In May it was doubtful whether McGuire would ever again swing a club in competition.

"It may be six months, it might be 12. I'm not putting any limits on it, and I may never return to competitive golf," McGuire said when announcing her withdrawal from the United States LPGA Tour.

She had nothing planned once she packed away her clubs, and has spent a lot of time travelling the globe on holiday.

Signs that McGuire's competitive fires were burning again surfaced last week when she rang her parents from Florida, asking them to send over her driver, three wood and seven wood.

"She's interested in the game again and has rediscovered her motivation," her father, Dave McGuire, said.

McGuire is unquestionably the most successful woman player ever to emerge in New Zealand. She has made a handsome living from the game after a glittering amateur career which peaked when she won the British championship in 1986.

Four years later she left her Auckland home to accept a golf scholarship at Oklahoma State University where she graduated with a marketing degree before plying her trade as a professional in Japan. Five years in Japan saw McGuire pocket earnings of more than $2 million and collect five titles.

- NZPA