Weir on the road to recovery following elbow surgery
Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:50:49
by Golf Canada
Mike Weir says he's "pleased and happy" with his recovery, one month after undergoing elbow surgery.
The 2003 Masters champion had surgery to repair the extensor tendon in his right elbow back on August 18th. He was back in Alabama this past weekend, visiting with Dr. James Andrews as part of his rehabilitation program.
"The first thing I asked Dr. Andrews when I woke up after the surgery was 'what do you think' and he told me it was a good thing I did it because it would never have healed on its own," Weir told Toronto's FAN 590 radio station in one of his first interviews since undergoing the procedure.
"It was good news that I finally got to the bottom of the problem."
Recovery time for this type of surgery usually is between three to six months. Weir said he hopes to be chipping and putting within a couple of months and he looks forward to hitting balls again within four to five months.
"I don't want to rush it back, I want to make sure that I'm good and healthy and not thinking about it," said Weir, whose arm has been in a sling and semi-cast for the last three weeks.
"I don't want to go back out there until I'm ready. I've been playing the last year or so with not much of a game and not much confidence. Now, I want to make sure I'm healthy, my mind is in a good place and I have confidence in my game when I get back on the Tour.
"I'd like to be back and have some tournaments under my belt before Augusta is what I'm thinking."
When Weir does return to the Tour, he can use one of two exemptions available to him through career earnings or he could rely on getting sponsor invitations into tournaments.
