WHEN the European Seniors Tour stops off in Jersey next week, there will be no more welcome sight on the lovely La Moye course than Hampshire's own Peter Dawson.
Little over six months ago, the former Ryder Cup ace was undergoing surgery for prostate cancer.
Before he went under the knife in December, Dawson resolved he'd beat the problem and be back playing tournament golf again in 2003. And he's been as good as his word.
He made his comeback in the AIB Irish Open in the middle of May and admitted: "It was tough. Physically it was tiring, mentally my confidence was low. I played my first few holes in high figures and I suppose it wasn't surprising.
"I hadn't played tournament golf for ten months, and I hadn't played good tournament golf for a lot longer than that. Because of a problem or two (he also needed knee surgery) the whole of last season was virtually a write-off."
What Dawson did find gratifying in Ireland was the warm welcome he received from his fellow players. "They seemed genuinely pleased to see me, and that meant a lot. I had many messages and e-mails through the winter, but when I got out there in Ireland there were a lot of people wanting to shake my hand."
Not surprisingly Dawson didn't score too well in the Irish Open but his level performance and the scores he produced showed a significant improvement next time he played in Belgium's Wallonia Open last week.
"I fired a second round 69 - which could have been 66 or 67 - and that made me feel a lot better about myself. Next day I played even better but shot a 76. But compared to Ireland I was setting myself up to shoot low scores and that was important to me.
"I don't want to be out there shooting 75s and 76s. If I did that week in week out, I wouldn't be competing and there's no point in playing tournaments if you're not competing. That's my aim for the rest of the season, to get back into contention, and if that comes, then start to think about winning again."
Before Ireland, Dawson had played a few light-hearted rounds with friends. "It was nice to be out there swinging a club again, but it doesn't really prepare you for the heat of tournament play," he said. I'm still struggling with my putting but hopefully that will come back."
The 53-year-old left-hander, who lives in Whitely near Fareham, admitted: "I slept for 24 hours when I got back from my first tournament, which proves that the adrenalin had started to kick in again.
"I have to have regular three-month checks to make sure I'm still all clear, but now I'm back on tour I mean to stick around a bit longer. The idea of splitting my year between playing and coaching appeals to me. I need to be playing and playing well to be a good teacher."
Also in next week's Jersey Open field will hopefully be Stoneham's Alan Mew, who has moved solidly into the top 40 in the order of merit in this his first year on the over 50s tour.
Bob Cameron, who once played regularly on the Hampshire PGA circuit, will also be teeing off at La Moye.
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