Golf: Pearce calls time on 15 years of pro golfing

Mahal Pearce blames his exit on financial pressure and a lack of drive. Photo / Greg Bowker

The professional golf career of Dunedin's Mahal Pearce is over.

Pearce, the last New Zealand man to win the New Zealand Open, has decided to give the game away because of financial pressure and a lack of drive.

The 39-year-old is out looking for a job after a professional golf career of 15 years which had plenty of ups and downs.

Pearce said he had been mulling over his future over the past few months before deciding to pull the pin.

"It was a tough decision. There is no doubt about that. There was a whole lot of things to think about before coming to this decision," Pearce said.

"The Australian PGA is on next week and I would have got a start in it. But I didn't want to go and put myself through it. And if you think like that then you should just give it away."

Pearce said he had been set up for a big year but it just did not happen.

"At the start of the year I wanted to give it a good go. I went up to China and played a couple of events up there but financially it was not viable.

"I've had a disappointing couple of results over the past couple of months. And that was tough."

He entered both the Perth Invitational and the Australian Open over the past few weeks but failed to make the cut in both events.

"There are a lot of good golfers out there and the quality of golf is very good. With what happened in Australia, it all just came to a head.

"At Perth, I played pretty solid for two days and missed by one. Then at the Australian Open a couple of things did not go my way and I missed the cut. I just thought, I can't do this any more."

Pearce said his wife, Sally, and children - Zac, 14, and Hannah, 7 - had backed him right throughout his career and have continued to do so after he made the big decision to step away.

"It was tough but they have always supported me. Then there was all those people who have supported me over the years and having to tell them," he said. "But they are completely understanding about what I have done and why I am doing it."