Birr man's brush with death gives him a new focus

Life isn't always fair, as Richie Coughlan has discovered. But you won't find him moaning or groaning about his plight, writes Philip Reid

In fact, as the game's superstars gather in La Costa for this week's World Matchplay, the red-headed Irishman can be found a few hundred miles further inland in the Arizona desert and is, firstly, simply glad to be playing golf at all and, secondly, grateful for the chance to tee-up in the Tucson Open with an opportunity to re-ignite his career.

Coughlan doesn't have a US Tour card for this season; not yet, at any rate. That could change, and it is in his own hands. If he earns sufficient prize money from his limited outings which are thanks to a "minor medical exemption" - then he could yet get to play regularly alongside the likes of Phil Mickelson and David Duval again, guys that he caddied for in the Walker Cup match at Portmarnock in 1991.

The medical exemption was awarded to Coughlan because he missed out on huge chunks of last season when he had a full tour card. The problem arose lifting a luggage bag from an elevator and, bizarrely, resulted in him suffering a rib injury that X-rays subsequently revealed as stress fractures. One spring week after another rolled by when he couldn't lift a club because of the pain, never mind play in tournaments. The upshot was that, by the season's end, he hadn't won sufficient money to retain his card.

However, the exemption has given him a lifeline. The Birr, Co Offaly, player can expect to get places in up to seven tournaments with the dispensation. This is his third: he missed the cut at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am but won $6,600 for surviving to he weekend at the Buick Invitational. If he can win another $4,000 (which basically boils down to making one more cut), then he will get a card on the Buy.Com Tour as the prize money won on exemption can be added to last year's money. One more made cut will take him inside the top 200.

But there are even bigger carrots. If he can win $160,000, then it would take him inside 125-150 on the moneylist (2001) and ensure starts in up to 15 tournaments on what he calls "the big tour". A sum of $310,000 would get him the gold nugget, a full card. Which is why an event like Tucson - when up to 30 of the top Americans will be elsewhere (at La Costa) - is such a huge opportunity.

"I can do well in Tucson and certainly wrap up a few things," said Coughlan. "Many of the big names won't be there, but it is still a big tournament with $3 million in prize money. I've been there three times and it is a course that I like, with good greens. Getting the minor medical exemption gives me a chance to retain my card but, to be honest, my entire approach has changed. I don't beat myself up over things."

Coughlan's new attitude stems from an incident that occurred just before Christmas. Home for the holidays, he was driving from Ennis to Tullamore when the car skidded on black ice.

"It was a road I had been on a thousand times but apparently there were three accidents on the road that morning. My car did a 90 degree turn, hit two pillars and was totalled. The only things that weren't damaged were my golf clubs, which were in the boot, and myself. I walked away with some strains to my back and neck. It has given me a new respect for life."

Which is not to say that Coughlan isn't ready for the battle to reach where he believes he belongs in the sport. "It is frustrating and it is tough but I know I have it in me to make it happen. I know that I am good enough. I will continue to play and to practise, to work out in the gym and do my road running. I believe in myself. I will keep going. Things don't bother me as much any more, and I know that I will start getting some breaks."

A few weeks ago, Coughlan had a talk with Jerry Kelly, the American player, who has turned his own game around. "Jerry told me that he had gone back to playing with instinct, to feeling shots and reacting rather than making mechanical plays," said Coughlan, who would also like to play that way. He has recently taken up with coach Brian Mogg - who also looks after John Cook and Skip Kendall - and among the things they are working on his quietening Coughlan's hips.

"My coach says it is a throwback to my days fighting the wind in Ireland, but I also want to sharpen up on my iron play from 100 yards in. It is an area that hasn't been good for me." This week's outing in Tucson is a genuine opportunity to tie up some loose ends, and he may have to wait until next month's Honda Open before he gets out again. As for appearances in Ireland, he intends to leave the week of the Murphy's Irish Open free in the hope of earning an invite to play at Fota Island.

Coughlan is playing this year without any sponsors, which is a far cry from 18 months ago when he won his tour card and was able to turn down a contract worth $125,000 from a rival club company so that he could continue to play Ping. His contract with Luttrellstown Castle has also ended, and Coughlan is philosophical about it all.

"I've no sponsors but, then, I am not fully exempt. I just want to get a few breaks and a few good finishes and take it from there." Perhaps the fickle sporting gods owe him one at this stage.