While the proximity of the Heritage Golf Club to the beach offers an obvious temptation to slip on the flip-flops and swimming shorts, relaxing is the last thing on Thorbjørn Olesen’s mind at this week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
The Dane is eager to make up for lost time as he returns to competitive action following three months on the sidelines with a hand injury that wrecked his start to the current European Tour campaign.
Olesen discovered the tendon problem in his left hand while in Dubai preparing for the 2015 season, but he battled on for four events before eventually having to succumb to surgery immediately after his last appearance in Malaysia at the start of February.
The timing could not have been worse for the 25 year old who had been hoping to build on a strong finish to the 2014 season, when he claimed his second European Tour title in the Perth International in October, and ended the campaign in 32nd place on the Race to Dubai.
“It’s been a long time out,” said Olesen, who reached 34th on the Official World Golf Ranking in 2013. “The injury started right after the new year but I kept on playing and it got worse and worse during those first four events.
“The tendons between the knuckles kept slipping off so they had to put them back in place and stretch them to stop it happening again. The doctor said it’s an injury common in boxers or caused by overuse and it could happen again.
“I had the operation right after Malaysia and the doctors said it would be eight to ten weeks before I could play again, but after ten weeks I still could not hold the club.
“It was pretty frustrating to not be able to do anything. So it’s been great to hit balls again the last two weeks and start working out. It’s been a long, frustrating couple of months.”
While the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open offers him laid back surroundings in which make his return, it is the start of five consecutive weeks of competition for Olesen, taking in the Open de Espaná, BMW PGA Championship, Dubai Duty Free Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation and culminating in the Nordea Masters.
“This week is a great event to make my return,” he said. “It’s obvious a beautiful place and it is warm, which is great for my hand. In the morning it is still very stiff and I have to warm it up before I can play, so this is the perfect week for me in many ways. The resort is great too, so I couldn’t ask for more.
“It’s exciting to be back I’m really looking forward to playing again this week. Now I have to get going this season after so much time out. This is the start of five in a row for me and I want to get back into and play as much competitive golf as I can. I’ve a lot of time out to make up for.”
Having eased himself back into the groove in Tuesday’s Pro-Am, Olesen believes the 7,036 yard, par 71 course at the Heritage Golf Club will offer a good challenge when the competition begins for real on Thursday.
“The course is in great condition,” he said. “There are some tough holes out there, and a couple of short par fours you can reach and go after. It’s a very interesting course. There’s plenty of room off the tee, but a few very tricky greens. It’s going to be windy as well, so it should be an interesting week.”
Olesen is joined by compatriots Thomas Bjørn and Søren Hansen, both Ryder Cup players, as well as Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat and South African George Coetzee for the event which is the first to be tri-sanctioned by the European, Asian and Sunshine Tours.
