PGA Features

I still feel competitive and I'm certainly not ready to give up on life - I want to go out there and play well.

On the eve of the British Senior Open Championship, Mike Gallagher and Ian Woosnam exchanged pleasantries and had a small natter, ahead of their respective attempts on the title.

Four days after the circus had left Royal Troon, Gallagher was back at his home club of Farthingstone, Northamptonshire, repairing and selling clubs while Woosnam was in the United States - launching his latest quest for a major at the US Senior Open.

Gallagher, who missed the cut in Ayrshire after claiming he 'hacked' his way around the famous links, is one of a stout band of golfers that attempt to mix the many facets of being a club professional.

It is a delicate balancing act attempting to get enough hours on the fairways and the practice ground to take on the tour guys, while also juggling the day-to-day business of a club pro.

For 55-year-old Gallagher that means working seven days a week to ensure that he maintains a competitive edge, while serving the membership and visitors at Farthingstone.

But Gallagher, who will be making his sixth appearance in the PGA Seniors Championship, wouldn't have it any other way as he prepares to lock horns with Woosnam again this week, along with a few other old sparring partners including the likes of Sam Torrance.

"I still feel competitive and I'm certainly not ready to give up on life," said Gallagher, who played full time on the Seniors Tour in 2005.

"I don't take a day off so I work seven days a week because this is what I want to do. If I wasn't a golf professional I'd be playing golf anyway.

"But when I play against these guys, who I've known for a long time, I want to go out there and play well against them.

"It's not about the occasion and playing alongside a few names, I've done that as I played with 15 or 16 major winners in my career.

"This is about doing something for yourself. It doesn't matter who I play with it doesn't make me better or worse than normal, it's about doing yourself justice."

Gallagher, who joined the paid ranks the second he left school at 15 and has always stayed close to his Northampton roots, has done himself 'justice' having had some notable moments in his playing career, which included many winters playing in Africa.

But chief among his achievements was as a member of the 1977 PGA Cup team which became the first side from this side of the pond to avoid defeat to the Americans in their own back yard - something a Ryder Cup team had yet to achieve.

He also has a place on the PGA's honour rolls having won the PGA National Pro-Am Championship back in 1990 on the Isle of Man.

There have been wins in his native Midlands too, but his presence at this week's championship is merely fuelling his desire to make this more than a fleeting appearance.

"As far as I'm concerned I would love to get my card back full time and be successful," said Gallagher, who sealed his place in the tournament after finishing joint runner-up in the Senior PGA Professional Championship in May.

"I had a card in 2005 and it didn't work out as I wanted as I was running around like an idiot trying do my club duties too.

"But at Farthingstone, who welcomed me back after 13 years away, I've got the backing of the owner, who also wants me to do well and happily watched me hack my way away around Troon."

Consequently, Gallagher, who has at least one more Seniors event to play in this season, has booked his place in November's qualifying school. However a couple notable performances could just put paid to his autumnal trip to Portugal and lead to more greenside gossip with Woosnam.