Paul McGinley in under doctor’s orders not to go ‘hell for leather’ at the start of his new season before hopefully getting back into full time Race to Dubai competition around March or April.
McGinley is returning to competition for the first time since withdrawing from last November’s co-sanctioned Iskander Johor Open in Malaysia.
Instead of undergoing keyhole surgery on his left knee, McGinley had less minor work on the knee.
However instead of playing the next three weeks, as McGinley would have wished, Dr. Andrew Unwin has directed McGinley compete in this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters take next week off and then tee up in the February 16th starting Avantha Masters in India.
Paul McGinley drives off the first and watched by India's Shiv Kapur and renowned UK golf scribe, Graham Otway. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“I didn’t have an operation but I did have some small procedures on it like draining fluid off it,” said McGinley.
“It was just six weeks of total rest with no golf at all.
“I am disappointed every week I can’t play because I still have a real desire to play but I don’t want to go at it to hell for leather starting off and the advice I’ve been given is to have one week on and then one week off and so on.
“It will unfortunately mean missing the Dubai Desert Classic next week as that is a course I have played very well on.
“I’ve been second three times in Dubai but while I am not playing Dubai I will play the week after in India so I will have to stagger the start of my year and then analyse how the knee holds up.”
McGinley has his first full round of golf on Tuesday playing a practice round before joining fellow Irishman Shane Lowry and Scotland’s Richie Ramsay in a further practice yesterday (TUES).
“The doctor’s informed me it is a maintenance thing of easing myself back into competition full time,” said McGinley.
“The knee is okay at present and it feels very strong and while it was hurting a bit towards the end of my round on Tuesday.
“But the doctor’s said to me also playing three weeks in a row will be putting too much pressure on it.
“Hopefully by March or April I will be able to play three to four in a row but I will still play 18 events this year.”
Meantime –
Caddying for McGinley this week will be Ray Lathford, the former long-time caddy Des Smyth who last competed on the European Tour in 2002.
