Dubai, UAE ... Struggling Robert MacIntyre remains ‘optimistic, and without any confirmed injury, he’ll be fit to tee-up in Thursday’s starting Omega Dubai Desert Classic.

Scotland’s top-ranked was forced to withdraw from last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship with pain in his lower righthand.

The ultra-talented Oban lefty underwent an MRI last week in Dubai, and a second MRI in four months, with again the result showing nothing untoward with his hand.

The 23-year old has his right wrist strapped just above his hand and was very much favouring the hand playing just six holes of practice on Tuesday at the host Emirates Club course before he makes a decision later today (WED UAE time) if he will tee-up in the event for a first time in his career.

He said: “I’m feeling optimistic. I played six holes today. I’ve got a bit of work still to do and then I will make a decision.

“I’m going to try and play the pro-am and if all is well in the morning, then that should be okay and then I will make a decision about the tournament after that.”

The current World No. 67 took a six-week break over the Christmas/New Year sticking strickly to advice not to pick-up a club and when he did in the week prior to Abu Dhabi his hand starting giving him trouble.

He said:  “On the first day of practice I didn’t have to take any painkillers, and I thought, ‘brilliant, we are on to a winner here’.

“I didn’t put any stress on it but then after having only put in two to three hours’ practice I woke-up the next day feeling a bit of ache and pain and it was like I was back to square one, if not worse than what it was feeling towards the end of last year.

“I tried to do a bit of practice through it but when I got to Abu Dhabi I simply couldn’t swing it like I need to.

“My driver was so slow, my irons were all over the place. I was hitting an 8-iron into a par-3 to a pin on the right side and I missed it on the left so I missed the pin by 25-30 yards.

“I was thinking to myself at that point, ‘I’m going to shoot 78 or 79 and miss the cut’ and I decided then that I had to pull out.

“I knew I couldn’t do myself justice and that’s why I took the difficult decision to withdraw in Abu Dhabi.”

Bizarrely, and without a clear diagnosis, MacIntyre could be facing a lengthy absence from the game if the hand does not heal.

That means missing out on the likelihood of contesting this year’s Masters and forfeiting tee times into the other three Majors and WGC titles.

He said: “At the end of the day, if I had a year out, if I played well when I came back, I would probably be in the same spot in the World Rankings.

“If you play good golf in any given year, you are going to shoot up the World Rankings, as I discovered last season.

“All I want is to be fit and healthy and, once that is the case, I can go out and play my best golf.

“I had literally done nothing in the time I’ve been here since leaving Abu Dhabi. I was told not to touch a club and take my time.

“Even today, I did a warm up that wasn’t too stressful then only played six holes. It was good to test it.

“I’ve got a bit strapping on my wrist to support it. If anything, it is more mentally. I feel strong in my head, that is a good thing, so I will do that every day.

“Though at the end of the day I don’t want to have this for the rest of my life. I want to be fit and healthy and pain-free.”