Senior takes winding, but satisfying, road to Tour

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Peter Senior has won around the world but not yet on the Champions Tour. He's off to a good start this week.

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Peter Senior took perhaps the most unique route to the Champions Tour.

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He basically took 10 years off from competitive golf to spend more time with his three children in Australia. Taking off your 40s isn't the ideal way to keep your golf game together, but it's difficult to argue with his recent results.

Senior ended 2010 in grand style, not only winning the Australian Senior Open, but then claiming the Australian PGA Championship by beating Geoff Ogilvy in a playoff. Senior continued his stellar play Friday when he shot a six-under 66 to move into a third-place tie in the first round of the Allianz Championship at Broken Sound.

"It was a great way to finish the year," Senior said. "I sort of have the bug back again."

Senior said it wasn't an easy choice to stop playing competitively full-time, but one he felt he had to make. Like most Australians and South Africans, he was forced to travel extensively to enjoy the most success in his professional career.

It paid off -- Senior won four times in Europe and three times in Japan and played on a pair of Presidents Cup teams. But he grew weary of making seven 30-hour flights every year to Europe, knowing he wasn't spending much time with his family.

"It was a tough decision because I enjoyed the game," Senior said. "But I talked to a few of the older guys like Jack Newton and Bob Shearer, and the only thing they regret doing was missing their kids growing up. I didn't want to do that."

Senior played in about a half-dozen events a year during his 40s, including some that would pass for mini-tour events in the U.S. He was fortunate he owned a couple of businesses, so money wasn't the issue it is for most golfers.

"We all kind of battle that," said Scott Simpson, who played alongside Senior and matched his 66. "When you're out playing, you miss your family. And when you're home, you feel like you should be out making money. I think it's great what Peter did -- if you can afford to do it. I never felt I could afford to do that."

With his youngest child, Mitchell (who's his caddie) almost 17, Senior felt it was time to return to competitive golf last year. He qualified for the Champions Tour by being the medalist at the '09 q-school and used a second- and a third-place finish to keep his exempt status by finishing 20th on last year's money list.

He plays his best in the major events. He finished third in the Senior British Open, sixth at the U.S. Senior Open and also qualified and made the cut at last year's British Open at St. Andrews.

He's won on just about every tour but the PGA TOUR and the Champions Tour. Friday's round was a solid step as he missed just one green to sit just two shots off Jay Don Blake's lead.

"The thing I didn't do last year was open up with a decent round in the first round," Senior said. "If you don't shoot four- or five-under the first day out here, you're out of the tournament. There's no reason why I can't win out here."

He certainly doesn't have to worry about burnout.

Craig Dolch is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.