breathe new life into the competitive golfing career he gave up nearly a decade ago.

The 34-year-old St. George's GC pro tees it up this morning at the $100,000 Payless Open, the first stop on the 13-event $1.4 million Canadian pro golfing tour. He will join 155 other pros from nine countries at the 6,543-yard par-70 Royal Colwood GC layout just outside Victoria.

Swan, who spent three years on the European tour before returning home in 1983 to take the club job at St. George's, will play five events on the Canadian tour. He has entered next week's Xerox BC Open in Vancouver, and will return home before travelling again to Canada in July for three more tournaments.

"After I got back from Europe, I divorced myself from the game and took over managing the club,'' he said. "I've done that reasonably successfully and now I'm getting into the golf side of the pro's life. I enjoy playing golf and the only way I'm going to raise my level back up is to throw myself into the thick of things like this.'' Swan, who is sharing hotel expenses here with 1990 Bermuda Open winner Tim Balmer, faces stiff competition from a field littered with players who spend their winters on the Asian and Australian pro tours.

Many, like 1991 Canadian tour money leader Guy Boros -- who won $64,000 in Canada last summer -- are former US collegians. They are joined by the likes of New Zealander Grant Waite who played the PGA Tour in 1990.

Still, Swan appeared relaxed on the eve of his professional debut in Canada.

"It's different for me now,'' he said. "Having played in Europe for three years, I learned a lot and don't have the overawed feeling now.

"When I was there, I was in my early 20s and I was a long way from home. Now I'm more relaxed. It's not the end of the world if I don't hit the ball straight.'' Swan played nine holes at Royal Colwood on Monday, and was still competing in the Pro-Am portion of the tournament at Press time last night. He is hoping a slight adjustment to his putting stance will pay dividends today.

"I spent all Tuesday and part of the day before trying to get my putter going,'' he said. "I'm hitting the ball pretty solid but lately my putting hasn't been that spiffy. I'm working on a routine so that I get lined up better with the hole.'' He knows that after such a long lay-off from competitive play, he might have to be patient.

"I'm looking to raise the level of my game again,'' he said. "And while it would be great to come in here and shoot the lights out the first week, I'm being realistic. I expect to make a few errors. But once I get into the swing of things, I expect to play to my potential.'' Perhaps, too, his presence will lead to a growth in golf-related tourism in Bermuda. "From a tourism marketing point of view,'' he said. "We're not doing a good job of getting golfers from up here. Maybe I can get some Canadians down to play golf in Bermuda as a by-product of my playing golf up here.'' KIM SWAN -- Working on his putting game.