DORSET'S leading woman professional Tracy Loveys is back at Broadstone after a brief spell attached to The Golf Academy in the Wiltshire village of Yatton Keynell.

"It simply didn't work out," she said. "Everything was too quiet, but you don't know until you try. It feels like I have been away on holiday, but I was fortunate to get my old job back."

Broadstone professional Nigel Tokely did not want her to leave in the first place. So he was relieved that he had not yet filled the vacancy, so a job was available.

"I have just slipped back into the old routine and now I've sampled another job I am staying put here from now on," said the 33-year-old former Dorset champion and English schools international from Weymouth.

She started at Broadstone nearly 11 years ago but gradually cut back on her playing schedule in favour of teaching.

But recently she made a successful playing mission to Portugal in a women's Pro-Am sponsored by One Up clothing.

She finished second in the individual section with a level par return of 217 after rounds of 74 and 71 at the Millennium course and 72 at the Vilamoura old course. The winner was Joanne Oliver from London.

Her Broadstone team of Ellen Mackie, Jane Groves and Gill Snow also finished second in the team event so Tracy covered her costs and made a profit from the trip to the sunny Algarve.

She also took Bridget Haigh from Canford Magna and two other Broadstone members Sally Mathurin and Janice Berry who finished fifth playing with pro Kathy Panton Lewis.

Now she plans to play more this year encouraged by Tokely who has always believed she should compete with the best.

She said: "I will play in all the Women's PGA medals, try and qualify for the Open and play a few Pro-Ams."