Conran returned to Australia in December to play in the Australian Open and PGA Championship and while the former Duntryleague player enjoyed little success in either tournament, 2009 will go down as a good year.

He is back in Orange after holidaying at Forster on the mid-north coast and is happy with how 2009 both started and ended.

He finished 37th on the Japanese money list banking 27,670,343 yen (A$324,440.57), which maintains his exemption on tour this year.

“My year was kind of frustrating because I started so well. The first three events were really good. I finished top five the first three weeks, so to do something like that, you think you’re going to have a good year,” Conran said.

“But then after that, I didn’t miss a lot of cuts I wouldn’t say, but of the tournaments I played right through the middle of the year, I’d make the cut and I’d finish nowhere.

“That was just doing my head in but I started to play a bit better at the end of the year and then I finished top 10 in the last event.”

And while remaining competitive against an ever-increasing field of younger players, Conran is just happy he can still ply his trade.

“At my stage of life, it’s probably good to be playing anywhere because you get a bit older and it’s harder to compete with the younger guys,” Conran said.

“You lose a bit skill-wise when you get into your mid-40s. It happens to everyone, so it’s good I’m still exempt to play another year in Japan I suppose. I think I can look at it that way.”

Conran’s wife Virginia and children Claudia and James still live in Orange and while extra time with his family would be nice, the 19-year veteran is keen to continue playing professionally for as long as possible.

The slight right-hander last went through qualifying for the Japanese tour prior to his second year in Asia and thinks it will only be time to give up the sport professionally when the results don’t come and he loses his tour card.