England's David Howell admits he worried whether he would ever make another Open Championship appearance after a career slump which threatened his future in the game.
In 2006 the Swindon-born professional was inside the world's top ten and on the verge of recording a second Ryder Cup victory with Europe.
But, without warning, injury and loss of form sent his career on a downward spiral which was only really arrested with last year's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship victory, which effectively earned him a place back at The Open for the first time since 2009.
The 39 year old has the honour of hitting the first tee shot on Thursday at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake and he will enjoy the moment as he knows he could easily have been commentating rather than playing had he not turned things around.
"You certainly worry. I was playing poorly enough for a couple of years to think about what was I going to be able to achieve going forward," said Howell, who took on a job as Sky Sports pundit during his lean years.
"I still had a love for the game but I guess it was becoming a love-hate relationship and it is not a lot of fun to play professional golf when you are playing really poorly.
"It might seem like a dream job but it can be pretty depressing at times.
"The great thing about golf is it is always within your own hands to sort things out and you haven't got to be picked by a manager, your results do the talking.
"That is the toughness of the game but also the beauty of it: as long as you start putting lower scores on the board you can fight your way back.
"I love golf, I love my life on the tour and all the things which come with it but the pre-requisite is you have to be playing at least reasonably well for it to be enjoyable.
"I just wanted to get back, initially just back being able to enjoy golf. It wasn't about getting out there and winning again.
"It was a step-by-step thing but I didn't want my career to just ebb away and suddenly just be in the studio or teaching.
"All I've ever done as an adult was be a professional golfer and my desire was to make that continue.
"I am proud of the way I've turned things around in the last couple of years.
"There is a lot of work still to do to get things back to where they were but I am on the right path."
Howell faces a 4.25am alarm call but even that does not bother him.
"I've got seven-month-old twins so it will probably be a lie-in," he added. "It doesn't feel that long (not playing an Open) to me but obviously it is.
"It is a great championship and not that easy to get into, you've got to be playing great golf somewhere along the line and I am delighted to be back. It will be a little thrill for a couple of minutes in its own right."
