Paul Casey says he is “chomping at the bit” ahead of his return to competitive golf in the Volvo World Match Play Championship.
Casey starts his first event since August 6 as the Englishman returns from a torn rib muscle injury at Finca Cortesin in Spain.
But the World Number Four admits that if he begins to feel any "sharp pain" he may have to withdraw.
After the pro-am Casey said: "Right now it just feels like an ache. It feels tender, it feels tight and it gets tired, but it's not a sharp pain. I think a nice way of putting it is that the muscles get slightly angry around there and they're telling me they're not liking what's going on.
"The thing I haven't done is hit balls out of the rough - I haven't since Akron (his last event) - but there's no rough this week. Trouble is, there's no way really of testing it until I'm out here in the mix playing golf. Part of it could be the travel, but there's a whole combination of stuff that is making me feel like maybe it wasn't quite as far along in being fixed as it should be."
Under the new format - it used to be straight knock-out - the first two days are in four groups of four.
Casey, top seed because of his World Ranking, plays Australian Scott Strange and then American Anthony Kim on Thursday, both over the full 18 holes, and on Friday meets South African Retief Goosen.
Having to play 36 holes three times in four days, which is what it takes to win the massive €750,000 first prize, looks like a big challenge.
All of the top four in The Race to Dubai are present as the season reaches an exciting climax, and leader Lee Westwood is looking to extend his advantage after Martin Kaymer closed the gap last week.
“It is now in my hands,” said the World Number Five. “If I win all of the tournaments, it will be impossible for anybody to get past me. It's as good a chance as I've had all year really and it's as good a position as I've been in all year.
“But it's far from over. We’re playing for a lot of money this week, next week, Hong Kong, Dubai. One person in the right position on the Money List winning can go past me.”
Westwood secured his first win in two years at the Portugal Masters two weeks ago, and Spain’s Sergio Garcia is now looking to emulate his Ryder Cup colleague.
Garcia has not had a top three finish in 2009, but feels he is in good enough form to end that run.
“It was good to see him [Westwood] win,” said Garcia. “I think he definitely deserved it, and he's going to win many more.
“I’m looking forward to coming here this week and I have a good chance to see if we can win some matches and get to Sunday and try to win it all.”
