The Long Road Back From Double Hip Surgery
2015-10-21 23:42:26

After enduring hip surgery twice in 2012 and unable to play for a year, Austrian player Martin Wiegele hopes that he will show a return to form at the Foshan Open

Back in 2002 it seemed that Martin Wiegele was destined to take his place among the top players in the world of golf. Having just won the Austrian Amateur Championship for a fourth time, he turned professional the following year and immediately showed his potential by earning his place on the lucrative European Tour after just one season. After winning his first event on the Tour all seemed assured for the genial Austrian.

But then, in 2012, disaster struck when it was found that Martin would require hip surgery. Having gone through that painful process and thinking about recovery, he was then taken back into hospital to have more hip surgery.  The setback meant that he had to spend a whole year in recovery and away from golf. Since then it has been a long slow process physical training and practice to get back both his fitness and his form.

“I’m trying to now get back to form and to the full European Tour as quickly as possible,” says Martin, now 37 years old. “Last year I struggled due to lack of fitness and it affected my game. This year I can see a lot of improvement in my long game but my putting was unbelievably bad. But then, two weeks ago in the tournament in Rome, my putting touch suddenly reappeared. So I’m really hoping I can bring that to Foshan!”

“I have good memories of Foshan especially as I made a hole-in-one last time.  It’s a great tournament and a beautiful golf course,” Martin added. “My main goal is to make the cut and have a positive week where I can have some good form to take to the Tour School finals in November.”

After the long painful struggle back to fitness and form, many would be delighted to see the genial Austrian holding up the Foshan Open trophy – the Canton Cup.

ENDS