Calum Hill 'still not 100 per cent' for DP World Tour return in Qatar

Calum Hill is “happy” to be making his first DP World Tour appearance in four months but is still not feeling 100 per cent heading into this week’s Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

The 27-year-old, who landed his maiden win in the Cazoo Classic at the London Golf Club last August, has been sidelined since ending his 2021 campaign with back-to-back withdrawals due to a niggling problem caused by an insect bite.

He’s waited patiently to make his long-awaited return and joins six fellow Scots in the line up for a return to Doha Golf Club after the event had been staged at Education City Golf for the last two years.

“Yeah, happy to be back,” said Hill, who last completed 72 holes in the Spanish Open in mid-October as he then withdrew in both the Portugal Masters and the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. “Nice to just get out and see everybody and play some golf again.”

Calum Hill in action in the Open de Espana at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in October - the last time he completed 72 holes on the DP World Tour. Picture: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images.

Asked how he was feeling, the world No 131 replied: “Not 100 per cent. I was hoping it would be a wee bit better than it is. Just kind of getting active again has caused a bit of irritation but hopefully I can manage through and it keeps getting better.”

Hill was on course to secure an exemption for the 150th Open through the Race to Dubai before suffering his unfortunate bite and he’s been forced to sit out two Rolex Series events this season during his lay-off.

“A little bit,” he replied to being asked about how frustrating it had been for him over the past few months. “But there’s not much you can do when it’s out of your control. You just do what you are being advised and trust it is going to get better.”

Hill joins Grant Forrest, Marc Warren, David Drysdale, Ewen Ferguson, Craig Howie and Euan Walker in flying the Saltire this week in an event won in the past by Andrew Coltart (1998) and Paul Lawrie (1999 and 2012).

“I just started hitting balls again literally two weeks ago - not very long!” said Hill. “But it’s not the end of the world. I mean, we are rusty, but I feel good enough to get it round - I should be okay.”

What are his expectations? “I don’t know,” he admitted. “It’s one of those. I will be the best-rested guy out here. So it just depends if I can put that to good use.

“You never know, it could be one of those where you go on a spurt as you’ve literally had four months of doing nothing or it could be that the rust shows and it could be a good job just to finish in the middle of the pack.

“I played nine today and it’s a nice course. I drove it well, so it felt like it is wide. But I’m sure it’s probably a little tighter. The rough is a little jumpy, but the greens, though quite form, are massive, so you should be hitting a lot of greens.”

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