On course for a return to action

Unfortunately for him, Christy O'Connor Jnr was in no position to be selective. So it was that in a desperate attempt at infusing some element of competitiveness into the first golf holes he had played since last March, he persuaded me to provide the opposition.

We were at Adare Golf Club last weekend for what would become a red-letter day in the Galwayman's recovery from a seriously broken left leg.

And when this crucial, first test was completed, all indications were that he will be fully fit for a planned return to action on the US Seniors' Tour next January.

The metal cage which had held the damaged limb in position for five months, was removed three weeks ago. And it was purely as a sensible precaution that before he started hitting shots, he strapped on a fibre-glass support from beneath the foot up to the knee, given to him by an American friend.

Looking remarkably fit, he proudly proclaimed that at 13st 8lb, he was now almost a stone lighter than on March 29th at his home in Clarinbridge, where the leg was crushed by his Harley-Davidson motorbike. "I cut out all sweet things," he said simply, before adding with a grin, "but I still managed to have a few drinks." By way of preparation for the planned test out on the course, he first went to the practice ground. It was approaching noon and an autumn sun was fighting to assert itself in a largely dull, cloudy sky. The only other golfer there was a local member, Robert Butler, hitting balls some distance away.

"You're going to see a miracle here," said O'Connor with typical enthusiasm, as the competition bag was removed from the boot of his car. Pitching wedge in hand, he executed a full shot of about 120 yards.

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this," he said excitedly. "This is terrific; like a brand-new experience." Golfers will be aware that a key ingredient of a productive swing is to hit into a solid left side. And looking at O'Connor playing those first, tentative shots, one suspected there was a slight favouring of the left, as the club went through the hitting area.

Which, of course, was entirely understandable. Yet all the old, familiar movements were there, even the characteristic tilt of the head when it eventually came up to see the ball in flight. He had hit a few wedges a week previously, but now he was progressing to a seven iron.

Any pain? "Not a twinge," he replied. "And I'm hitting these about 90 per cent. You can't believe how good this feels." Then came a four iron, his first in six months. In his words, the beautifully-struck fade landed with the softness of "a dog with sore legs at a fire." Then came a knock-down "Ballybunion chaser", executed with a classic, short follow-through.

The five wood was next, followed by the three wood. Finally, he took out the driver. Now growing in confidence, he smashed the ball arrow-straight about 270 yards. This time there was no commentary; the broad smile said it all.

Soon afterwards, we were in a buggy heading for the short 11th over the River Maigue. I had neither clubs nor shoes but O'Connor wouldn't take no for an answer. For a shot of 180 yards, he hit a five iron which was pulled left of the target. He then hit another one. That, too, was pulled. Mercifully, he couldn't find any more balls in his bag.

We moved onto the 550-yard 12th where O'Connor insisted I join him on the back tee. From there, he hit a sweet driver down the left; I scrambled the ball into play using his three-wood with an ultra-stiff shaft. It was tremendous fun, especially the sight of him sizing up every shot as if he had a card and pencil in hand.

On reaching the green, he discovered he had taken the putter out of the bag some time previously and forgotten to replace it. No problem. He would putt with a three iron; I would use a two. So, the 12th was reduced to a drive, three wood, sandwedge and two putts with a three iron: a par five. And the 442-yard 13th became a drive, seven iron and a sandwedge chip and run which just slipped past the top edge of the cup. He tapped it in for another par.

"You don't want to overdo things," I said hopefully, as we walked back towards the buggy. My companion agreed. And it was only then I realised that from his standpoint, the importance of my presence lay in simply having somebody to bear witness to his golfing well-being. We headed back to the clubhouse where, as Adare's touring professional, O'Connor was greeted by the owner, Tom Kane and his wife Judy.

"Yes, there were times when I wondered if I would ever play again," the Galwayman admitted. "Certainly, as I lay on the ground in my yard, with the bike beside me, all sorts of thoughts went through my mind. The leg was hanging like a bag of sand and my brother Pascal, who was with me at the time, was too shocked to know what to do.

"Then Ann (his wife) arrived back from Kilcolgan where she'd been shopping. And I remember thinking that I wouldn't be making my planned appearance on the Gerry Kelly Show on UTV the following night. And how odd it was that there was no pain."

He went on: "I then had the great good fortune to have John McCabe as my surgeon at Merlin Park in Galway. And he was straight with me. He left me in no doubt about the seriousness of the break, just above the ankle and, naturally, I imagined the worst, as you're inclined to do in those sort of circumstances.

"Anyway, he inserted 13 pins and two bolts in the leg and used this metal apparatus (an exterior fixation) which was invented by a Russian. It meant all of the damaged area was exposed. And Mr McCabe impressed upon me the time-scale I was looking at. He told me that there would be no sign of the leg healing for about three months. No sign.

"During that time, people would ask: 'Well, is it fixed?' And I had to come out straight and reply: 'No. It's not fixed.' And then they would suggest 'So you're in trouble.' And I would insist that I wasn't in trouble. That this was the time scale the surgeon had given me.

"Deep down, I thought I might beat the system. I could see myself hitting golf shots a month earlier than scheduled. But everything worked out exactly as the surgeon predicted.

"Meanwhile, given the 13 holes through my leg, I was fortunate in that I had only one infection, which was gone in about a week. And all the while I was patient. In fact my wife couldn't believe how patient I was. But when the frame eventually came off three weeks ago, it was like being released from prison."

He then talked about the marvellous support and messages of goodwill which he enjoyed from his golfing colleagues and acquaintances. Of how Jack Nicklaus took time off during the US Masters last April to phone him and see how he was doing. And how Dave Stockton, twice former USPGA champion, joined him at Mount Wolseley and later at Adare, for a few days after the Senior British Open at Royal Co Down in July.

Huge cards arrived from the US - one signed by his playing colleagues, another signed by the caddies and a third signed by the sponsors. All wished him well, some with amusing messages, like the one from Hubert Green who expressed mock delight at Christy's absence because "I've got your caddie."

A message arrived from HRH Prince Andrew and another from Peter Alliss. But the one which stood apart from all others, came from Seve Ballesteros. It read: "If you give up golf, you give up me." Meanwhile, a consolation for missing the AIB Irish Seniors Open in May, was that the event happened to coincide with a Citywest function to honour him as "Galway Person of the Year." But being unable to challenge for a third successive Senior British Open triumph was extremely tough, especially with Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player in the field.

"That was the toughest time," he said. "Every day I would look at the scoring and try to figure out how I would have done. It was dreadfully lonely. And I know people didn't mean it but it seemed that every conversation I had was about Royal Co Down and how awful I must have felt about missing it. And of course I missed it."

Other things preyed on his mind. "Losing Darren (his son, who was killed in a car crash three years ago) is still with me every day," he went on.

"In that respect, I was very fortunate in having so much to do, especially with my golf-course design work. I didn't have time to brood. And all the while, my mind was focused on getting back to competitive golf."

Though he looked to be in terrific shape, better than he has looked in years, he plans to work hard during the coming, winter months in the gym and on the practice ground to prepare for a return to the US Tour.

"I hope to play 20 tournaments next season, but I'm not setting any time limit on how long I'll stay this time around," he said. "I'd just like to win again."

The sun had finally broken through a sombre sky, when the rejuvinated 53-year-old concluded with a satisfied smile: "After all the wonderful things I've got out of golf, that would wrap things up beautifully."