Former LPGA Tour star Rachel Hetherington is making a comeback to professional golf for the Australasian women’s tour season after a four-year retirement.

But 42-year-old Hetherington, who boasts eight LPGA titles among 62 top-10 finishes, has ruled out a return to that US-based tour.

The Queenslander says she’s returning because she began enjoying playing again.

It came after she started working with new instructor Randall Hollands Smith in mid-2014 at the golf range she operates in her home state.

“He has inspired me enough to play,” said Hetherington. “I am finding golf fun again.”

She will play the ALPG Tour schedule which starts with a low-key pro-am in Yamba, NSW on January 9 and culminates at the Australian Ladies Masters on the Gold Coast from February 12-15 and the Women’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne from February 19-22.

Her husband, former Test cricketer and golf nut Greg Ritchie, will be her caddie.

Having also recently become an instructor at Sanctuary Cove, mother-of-one Hetherington is extremely busy.

“I don’t have a large amount time to practice, so I try to make it quality practice and yes it is fun,” said Hetherington.

“I don’t practice long enough to become sick of it.”

Hetherington won $US5.7 million in prizemoney during her LPGA career and three of her titles came in playoffs over former No.1 Annika Sorenstam.

But she has no thoughts of returning to the US tour.

“I don’t want to play the LPGA – I would miss family and clients too much,” she said.