Editor's note: In his 10th appearance at the final stage of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament, Michael Allen finished in a tie for seventh to retain his PGA TOUR card for 2006. Allen recently spoke with PGATOUR.com for this Q&A.

PGATOUR.com: How did you get started in the game?

ALLEN: My family had a putting green in our backyard where I grew up. I've really played my whole life but I didn't get serious until college at Nevada-Reno. I played about one junior tournament a year.

PGATOUR.com: When did you realize you were going to get your TOUR card back and how did you celebrate?

ALLEN: Not until the 15th hole or so. I've been to school so many times. It was a relief when it was over. I've been through it 10 times. I don't have the same exuberance as the young guys but I can still share the joy of a young guy like Robert Garrigus. I was just glad to have my job back.

PGATOUR.com: What's your proudest moment in golf?

ALLEN: I won the Southern Arizona Open in 2003 but what made it special was my daughter caddied for me. She was 10 at the time and she drove the cart. That was a great moment for us.

PGATOUR.com: What are your goals for 2006?

ALLEN: Number one is to win my first tournament. I've been out here so long. I've worked so hard. I want to be one of the best drivers out here. I've been terrible at that. If I do a better job finding the fairway it will help me attain my larger goal.

PGATOUR.com: What is the best golf advice you've ever received?

ALLEN: I've never gotten much advice from players. I believe that failing to prepare is preparing to fail. That's a motto I live by. I was playing with Bob Bynum once and I wasn't playing well and all of a sudden I ran off five birdies in a row. He told me that was a perfect example of why you have to work so hard to get those pars when things aren't going your way. You never know when you're going to start making birdies. Even when things aren't going well you have to stay in it. Things will turn around; they always do.

PGATOUR.com: What was your first car and what are you driving now?

ALLEN: I had an acqua-blue Fiat sedan. Now I've got a Chevy Tahoe and a Harley Davidson Fat Boy. That's my new thing these days. I got it this year.

PGATOUR.com: What will your splurge on when you win your next big check?

ALLEN: My Harley. Just to make it bigger, better and shinier.

PGATOUR.com: What's the last book you've read?

ALLEN: I'm always reading a book. It's one of the things I love doing. I read three or four books per month. I'm reading My FBI by Lewis Freed.

PGATOUR.com: What was your first job?

ALLEN: When I got out of college in 1984, I was a few weeks into Morgan Stanley's program to become a stockbroker. Then they announced the U.S. Open was going to be played at The Olympic Club in 1987, where I had been a member since 14. I decided to focus on my golf game for the next few years and see if I could qualify. So I quit and played golf around the world. I didn't make that Open but those were the greatest times of my life. I traveled the world and played some of the best courses.

PGATOUR.com: Finish this sentence, I regret that...

ALLEN: I didn't spend more time in school when I was there. I was at one of the great learning centers of the world. There are two great places to change your life -- college and prison. I was too immature at the time and let it slip away.