Hi everyone, my apologies for not updating lately, but as you will see, there has been a lot going on and much more to come in the future!

Let's start at the top. The first two tournaments this year were a great start. Unfortunately, the dreaded tennis elbow started creeping back into my life again and gave me a few shaky events after that. I came home and saw the doc, got the cortisone injections and gave the arm a bit of a rest. It looked like we were off to a great start again, but it was not meant to be. The last three events were painful and I held on by the skin of my teeth for the Lombard Insurance Classic.

Although it has been difficult having a two month break in the middle of the season for the FIFA World Cup, it could not have come at a beter time. I has decided to have this "tennis elbow" corrected and that meant going  under the knife and having to give the arm complete rest for a long period of time. It has been a total of 7 weeks of now and in the last month I have been hitting the gym to try and increase the fitness levels and shed a few pounds!

Once I received the okay from the doc, I started up with stretching exercises, a serious amount of putting and worked my way up to playing a few rounds of golf. The first day back brought in a three over par...but the wind was howling! Since then I have been averaging just under par, so we can pray that things keep under par and better.

Even though I had a hiccup or two in the start of the year, I still see it as a solid platform and I will be building on it for the rest of the season. As you will see, the tour gets really busy now. I leave home the middle of August and only have a decent break back home with the family just before Christmas! I do intend to pop in for a night or two for my son's 3rd birthday party in October. Can you believe it...almost 3 yrs already!

I am chomping at the bit to get started and as my wife would say, I am like a kids with a new toy when it comes to playing golf again! I have seriously felt left out and want to get out there again. We will be all over the country and I look forward to seeing some of your faces around the courses. I am also looking forward to getting competitive again and to catch the win that has just been out of my reach the last few years. It's time to knuckle down and get to work!!!

Before I go, I have to let you know that my time off was not only spent in the gym. I am now building another dream of mine and that is to start a charity of my own. I am going big with this one and doing it properly from the start, which is why we will be registered as a Non-Profit Organisation. The project will called Birdi 4 Jemma and will benefit a little girl (7 yrs old), with cerebral palsy, that I have known for many years, as well as at least one other charity yet to be confirmed. In the years to come, Jemma will remain a beneficiary of this charity and the other beneficiaries will change from year to year. I am exceptionally excited and can't wait for it to grow. I know that this will not only have a big impact on my life, but hopefully I will be able to impact other lives as powerfully!

Please click on the charity tab on my home page and read all about Jemma and how the fundraising will work and of course, if you feel moved by the cause, please do fill in a pledge form.

I do look forward to keeping in touch with you all for the rest of the year and intend to bring only good news! Please keep those e-mails rolling in, it has been humbling and inspiring to read.

LET THE BIRDIE'S BEGIN!!!