Dubliner Pádraig Harrington makes his return to tournament golf in the Malaysian Open this week after almost six weeks off.
The 29-year-old last played in the Accenture World Matchplay at the beginning of January where he lost to the eventual winner Steve Stricker 3 and 2 in the first round.
Harrington does not to expect too much from this week at the Saujana Golf Club, claiming to be somewhat rusty because of his time off and the Irish weather at this time of year.
"I had four weeks at home doing a bit of practice and went to see Bob [coach Bob Torrance] a couple of times - twice in the snow!" said Harrington.
"I'm rusty all through my game. I don't see any part of it that's particularly sound at the moment but you have to start somewhere. There's always going to be a week where you feel like this and the game doesn't feel particularly right.
That said, Harrington has an impressive record in Malaysia in recent years.
Last year’s Brazil Open champion has finished fourth, third and second on his last three visits to Malaysia.
Twelve months ago Harrington came closest to victory in the Malaysian Open, finishing in a tie for second behind the eventual winner, Taiwan’s Wei-Tze Yeh in Kuala Lumpur.
Harrington will be joined by a host of world-class players in the sweltering heat this week. Current Masters champion Vijay Singh, recent Heineken Classic winner Michael Campbell and the often erratic but recently reformed double major winner John Daly will all start this week.
Elsewhere Jesper Parnevik will be unable to defend his Bob Hope Classic title at La Quinta in California this week.
The Swede will be with his wife as they await the birth of their fourth child.
Parnevik had hoped to play this week and waited until the last minute to pull out of the five-round tournament which begins tomorrow.
A depleted field will be without some of the world's top players this week. Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and Davis Love III have all opted to take a break.