Ryder Cup star Ludvig Aberg admitted he was “itching” to return to action with the defence of his RSM Classic title.
Aberg first felt the effects of a knee problem in April this year and played the US PGA Championship wearing a brace, but delayed undergoing surgery until after the Tour Championship in September.
“It was the first time I hadn’t been able to play golf from that regard, so it was a little bit weird,” Aberg said. “Didn’t really know how to handle it.
“Ultimately I felt like I made the right choice in terms of the timing and how we handled it. If I were to do it again, I would do the same thing.
“I did the surgery in New York, so I spent the first couple weeks there doing rehab. Luckily I was still able to walk, so me and my girlfriend were in New York and we were doing the city a little bit and kind of acting like tourists, so that was fun.
“Then we bought the new house (in Florida) and it’s been a lot of house stuff lately. It’s been nice to have a little break.
“It was probably the first break that I’ve had from golf since my senior year in college, so it was quite nice to kind of reflect a little bit, sit down and not having to go play a tournament at some point.
“The last couple weeks I’ve been itching to get out here. It’s been a long time coming, it feels like. I feel 100 per cent, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.
“I had about four weeks off from playing golf, I didn’t touch a golf club. Started hitting short pitches and wedges at first and then to kind of load it a little bit more and put more pressure on it.
“Now I’m actually a little bit stronger now than I was before, so that’s good.”
The RSM Classic is the last chance for players to finish in the top 125 on the FedEx Cup and secure access to all full-field events and The Players Championship next season.
All 19 players from 122-140 in the standings are in the field at Sea Island, including England’s Matt Wallace, who is 133rd.
