Anthony Mocklow fired a four-under par 66 to put himself in contention at the halfway stage of the Goslings Invitational, and then threw his hat into the ring for the professional's job at Port Royal when it re-opens.

The Bermudian golfer has spent the last 15 years working as a club pro in England, and for the majority of that time has had amateur status.

Now however he has turned professional again, is ready to return home, and believes he has a lot to offer the sport on the Island.

These are not the only reasons. Life as an amateur golfer is not as much fun as it once was, and the loss of his father has forced Mocklow to look at things a little differently.

"I've turned professional. Life's too short [not to]," he said. " I lost my father three years ago, and I just decided I was getting very little out of playing amateur golf. It's expensive, and I'm playing all over Europe and the US, and I'm not getting anything out of it.

"If I was getting selected to play for Bermuda, then it would be worthwhile because those wonderful 10-day trips to the World Championships every two years are a fantastic advantage.

"But when the process of selecting the team is the way it is, the life that I lead doesn't match up, so I figured, 'what the hell, I'm 43 years old I might as well get ready to play with the old boys'."

It's not that Mocklow is dissatisfied with life in England, but he sees his future elsewhere, and the soon-to-be re-opened Port Royal presents an opportunity that would be too good to pass up.

"I still have a very good job, but I am looking to return to Bermuda," he said. "I've made no secret of the fact that I'd like to come back here and get back into the golf business. And there are some really good opportunities coming up with Port Royal and other golf courses, so why shouldn't I throw my hat into the ring.

"I've made it perfectly clear to a lot of people that I'm very interested in bringing back some of the experience that I've developed over the years out of Bermuda, to Bermuda, and that is a positive thing.

"I'm ready to come home. I've been living in England for 15 years, it's cold and wet, and although I love it, the reality of it is that I'm a Bermudian, and this is where I want to live. I've done my time out of the country."

And Mocklow might have been discussing his future plans from a position of even greater strength had he finished yesterday's round as strongly as he started it. In a group that was an astonishing 11-under par on the front nine, Mocklow shot a 30 and was five-under at the turn.

"I grew up on this golf course so the changes to the course I really like, it suits my game.

"I'm hitting it well off the tee, and when you are competent with the wedges you are going to make some birdies, and you've got to putt well."