Eag's
3rd January 2005, 08:32 PM
British Open winner Ian Baker-Finch is contemplating a return to tournament golf eight years after walking away from the game.
Baker-Finch, who has been pursuing a career as a golf commentator on US television, believes he can get back to a competitive level and hopes to play some tournaments in Australasia this year.
"I just want to see where I am," Baker-Finch told US magazine Golf Digest. "It's better to do that now than to delude myself for six years before I'm eligible for the Champions Tour."
"As I get later on into my 40s, I'll play more and more," Baker-Finch said.
"I'd like to play some events on tour, the smaller events, or maybe the Colonial or a Nationwide Tour event or a couple back in Australia. When I get to 50, I'd like to really try to compete on the Champions Tour."
While he doubts he could reach the heights of Royal Birkdale in 1991, where he won his only major, he believes he has a better perspective on the game.
"I never really liked the look of my swing, which is strange, because when I look at it now it was actually pretty good," Baker-Finch said.
"It just didn't look like the other great swings. The thing is, you've got to believe in yourself."
"The frightening thing was, there were days when I could play really well, then the next day I'd hit three drives out-of-bounds and two in the water," Baker-Finch said.
"It became a mental issue, obviously. My 68 on Wednesday became 76 on Thursday and 86 in a major. It was like the bigger the event, the more pressure, the more tension, the higher the score."
It would be great to see him back on tour :) Always liked him as a player.
Baker-Finch, who has been pursuing a career as a golf commentator on US television, believes he can get back to a competitive level and hopes to play some tournaments in Australasia this year.
"I just want to see where I am," Baker-Finch told US magazine Golf Digest. "It's better to do that now than to delude myself for six years before I'm eligible for the Champions Tour."
"As I get later on into my 40s, I'll play more and more," Baker-Finch said.
"I'd like to play some events on tour, the smaller events, or maybe the Colonial or a Nationwide Tour event or a couple back in Australia. When I get to 50, I'd like to really try to compete on the Champions Tour."
While he doubts he could reach the heights of Royal Birkdale in 1991, where he won his only major, he believes he has a better perspective on the game.
"I never really liked the look of my swing, which is strange, because when I look at it now it was actually pretty good," Baker-Finch said.
"It just didn't look like the other great swings. The thing is, you've got to believe in yourself."
"The frightening thing was, there were days when I could play really well, then the next day I'd hit three drives out-of-bounds and two in the water," Baker-Finch said.
"It became a mental issue, obviously. My 68 on Wednesday became 76 on Thursday and 86 in a major. It was like the bigger the event, the more pressure, the more tension, the higher the score."
It would be great to see him back on tour :) Always liked him as a player.