Jan. 21, 2005 – New Zealand golfer Phil Tataurangi is taking further time out in order to re-establish his professional playing career.

Tataurangi is planning to take most of this year off to ensure he can fully rehabilitate his troublesome back, and make the necessary compensations to his game to enable a full return to the US PGA Tour.

The Dallas-based professional has been beset with back problems in his lumbar spine that necessitated surgery in May 2003. During his preparation for last year's Holden New Zealand Open, Tataurangi suffered a partial joint capsule tear in his thoracic spine that set him back a further five months.

Tataurangi spent considerable time last year with his New Zealand medical team, trainer Karl Anderson and physiotherapist Dave Abercrombie, to map out an exhaustive rehabilitation program. He returned to the USPGA Tour in July 2004 but has suffered setbacks with his back that have contributed to this decision.

"The fact is my back is never going to be perfect again. I now realize that it was not just a matter of getting the back stronger and going back to play," Tataurangi said. "I've talked at length with my medical team both here and in the US and with my coach John Griffin."

"I am going back to my rehabilitation routine. I'll be working with a bio-mechanist to focus mainly on muscle patterning and firing my neural senses. I will then be making small changes to my swing that will ensure the recovery is effective."

"It's been frustrating for sure because I worked very hard since surgery on my rehabilitation. But if I am to make a successful return to the game at the highest level, then I need to take one step back if I am to go two steps forward in the long term."

The 33-year-old is able to defer his medical exemption of 21 tournaments on the PGA Tour until the 2006 season. Tataurangi said he is not putting any pressure on the timing of his return. "It is unknown territory. I will return when I am ready but will be targeting the Australasian Tour at the end of the year."

Tataurangi will spend most of his rehabilitation in the United States but will continue to represent and work with Cape Kidnappers Golf Course (Hawkes Bay) and New Zealand lifestyle clothing company Line 7. He will also continue charity work with Cure Kids and will be a front person for the new First Tee program, a life and golf skills program for young people, to be launched in New Zealand next month.

And he is also about to launch a personal website to keep his many supporters more connected to his recovery activity. The new website will be www.philtataurangi.co.nz

Source: NZGA