The ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia returns to Royal Port Moresby Golf Club this week for the first time since 2019 when Cooke surprised even himself with a two-stroke victory from Jack Wilson.

The Covid-19 pandemic has made it impossible to stage a tournament in Papua New Guinea until now, this week’s tournament serving as the beginning of the 2023/2024 season.

Cooke was already a 10-plus year veteran on Tour when he secured his lone Australasian Tour title to date, his defence drawn out so long that he briefly considered quitting before he had the chance.

Now working full-time at Kooyonga Golf Club in Adelaide and completing the PGA Tour Professional Articulation, Cooke flirted with the idea of calling time on Tour life.

After the most recent season, where he showed glimpses of his best in sporadic starts, Cooke was ranked 105th on the Order of Merit and destined for Q School.

“It’s going too well to quit just yet. I had that thought for a moment that this could be my last event, and I didn’t like it. So here we go again.” - Peter Cooke.

He and coach Daniel Blackwell discussed not going at all, convincing himself that a year to focus on the next phase of his golf career would be more fruitful.

Yet, like bush footballers who repeatedly retire year after year, Cooke knew deep down that his good stuff was still good enough not to give up on.

“I know he didn’t love the thought of it, but he understood where I was coming from,” Cooke said of his discussion with Blackwell.

“At the same time, I’m a stubborn bastard and don’t like quitting.”

“When I had a moment to think about it properly, I realised I was actually doing a lot of good things. There were some rounds in there that were nearly the round of the day in little stints, I just lacked that sharpness for the four days because I just don’t put the time into my game.

“Technically and mentally I probably walked off that season with my game in as good a spot as it’s ever been.”

“I had to think a little less emotionally about results and have a proper think about it.”

“It’s going too well to quit just yet."

“I had that thought for a moment that this could be my last event, and I didn’t like it.

“So here we go again.”

Fellow Q School graduates in the field this week include Lachy Barker, Anthony Choat, Darcy Brereton, Matt Stieger and Kiwi Kit Bittle.

Winner of the 2021 WA PGA Championship, Jay Mackenzie, will tee it up along with two-time runner-up last season Lincoln Tighe, 2021 Vic PGA champion Chris Wood and emerging amateur star Jeffrey Guan.

The 2023 PNG Open boasts $180,000 in prize money and dates back to 1977 when it was won by Ted Ball.