A year on from announcing his retirement from professional golf, Mike Lorenzo-Vera made a surprise return at the Omega European Masters in Crans-Montana.
The Frenchman bid an emotional farewell to the DP World Tour in this event at Crans-sur-Sierre Golf Club last year.
However, through a withdrawal by New Zealand's Daniel Hillier, the 41-year-old Lorenzo-Vera is back in the Swiss Alps for what will go down as his 286th start on golf's global tour.
Despite having spent time across the summer in Crans-Montana, working with clients on commercial golf days, the late invite to take his place in the field via a phone call from the club came as an unexpected, yet pleasant, surprise.
"I was very chilled and relaxed until I hung up the phone and became nervous again," he said in an on-course interview during the first round on Thursday.
Lorenzo-Vera, a popular figure among fellow players, staff and fans alike across two decades in the paid ranks, added he had played golf "pretty much all this summer" when asked how ready he was another shot at competing on the DP World Tour.
"I wanted to stop, basically, but my girlfriend started playing golf and I was back at it," he explained.
"I am very happy to be back. It's much better weather than last year.
"I am sorry for Daniel, he needs [Race to Dubai] points much more than me so I hope he recovers."
After mixing four bogeys with one birdie in a 73, he sits at three over after day one.
