Ondrej Lieser is delighted to be making his competitive return after an eight-month absence at the D+D Real Czech Challenge.
The Czech last featured at the Acciona Open de España presented by Madrid on the DP World Tour last October and has since reverted to coaching at Prague City Golf Club.
But this week the 2020 Road to Mallorca Number One takes his place in the field at Panorama Golf Resort as the European Challenge Tour makes its first of two visits in three weeks to his homeland.
Lieser struggled for form last year on both the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour, with his most recent start in Spain ending in a tenth consecutive missed cut.
The 31-year-old says the time he has been able to spend with his family has helped him rediscover motivation and some of his hunger.
“I have three kids and a wife at home, so my responsibility is to take care of them,” he said.
“When you are putting all the money that you are earning back into golf it becomes so mentally tough. It got me back big time and it wasn’t easy.
“Now, I am happy to be back playing and feeling mentally strong again.”
Lieser memorably made history by becoming the first Czech player to win the Road to Mallorca Rankings with victory – his second in succession – at the Rolex Challenge Tour Grand Final supported by The R&A in 2020.
That in turn saw him become the first from his country to graduate to the DP World Tour for the following season but he was unable to hit those same heights as he went on to lose his full playing privileges.
And after a wrist injury impeded his performances last year, he is hopeful that he can once again play with a greater degree of freedom.
“I love this sport and no matter how I play I just want to enjoy that I can play this sport,” he said. “I know how one week can change your career.
“I am feeling confident, great with myself which is the main thing, and I am enjoying playing golf. I don’t have high expectations which is possibly good for me.”
Lieser admits his desire to return to competitive action only resurfaced last month during a round with friends.
“Normally when I was playing over the last five years when you are off for one week you are already looking forward to playing again,” he said.
“I didn’t have that for say the last seven months. I just woke up one morning and had a swing thought of what I would like to try myself.”
While a third Challenge Tour victory this week might seem an unlikely prospect, he will hope a good performance can provide the platform for him to enjoy the remainder of the campaign as he prepares to split his demands between competing, coaching and spending time with his family.
The first round of the 11th edition of the Czech Challenge will begin at 07:20am local time in the Czech Republic, with Lieser teeing off alongside English duo Chris Paisley and Jonathan Thomson at 8:15am.
