Golf: Turner cuts back in Europe

PARIS - New Zealander Greg Turner will not change his decision to quit competing fulltime in Europe, despite fighting his way to a share of third place in the Lancome Trophy in Paris going into today's final round.

Turner announced on his arrival in the French capital last week that this would be his last tournament on European soil as a fulltime professional, ending a 17-year career there to return to live in New Zealand.

He found his way into a five-way share of eight-under on the St Nom-la-Bretche course after a four-under 67 in difficult, windy conditions.

Dutchman Maarten Lafeber and German Alex Cejka led the event at nine under, but not before a dramatic last few holes when Lafeber, chasing a first European Tour victory, forfeited three strokes in two holes in a round of 74.

Turner shares third place with Welshmen Ian Woosnam and Bradley Dredge, and English duo Ian Garbutt and Simon Dyson.

The 39-year-old Dunedin golfer moved steadily up the leaderboard with four birdies on the front nine holes, including consecutive birdies at the eighth and ninth.

He then moved to nine under and was alone in third place with a birdie at the 16th before dropping back to eight under when he bogeyed the 17th.

But despite the temptation of a two-year Tour exemption in one of his poorest seasons in Europe, Turner is sticking by his decision.

"I made it for a variety of reasons which has very little to do if I win here," he said.

"It is just that I am at a stage of my life that I need to be spending more of my time on the other side of the world in New Zealand. Unless they are planning on moving a large portion of the European Tour to Australia and New Zealand, I won't be around nearly as much.

"It's not like I am retiring from playing, but as of March next year, golf will no longer be the major focus or my life."

"If I do well here it might give the taste to pop back next year and play a few more, but essentially my European Tour is on the backburner."

Turner arrived in Paris lying 118th on the European Order of Merit, having missed four halfway cuts in succession and finishing a season best of eighth in February's ANZ Championship in Sydney.

He has not won since clinching the 1999 Australian PGA Championship at the Victoria club in Melbourne, the same venue which will host next month's Australian Open in which Turner intends to compete.

He will then contest the following week's Australian PGA title at Coolum and then the Australian Masters in Melbourne.

Turner will also compete in the three co-sanctioned Australasian and European Tour events early next year, beginning with the Heineken Classic in January at Royal Melbourne.

He intends to take part in three other events, both sanctioned with the secondary Buy.com Tour in the United States - one in Adelaide, the other in Christchurch and the official final event, the 2003 Clearwater Classic in Dunedin.

- NZPA