Mike Lorenzo-Vera made a special return to DP World Tour action on Thursday, carding a five-under 67 on his first competitive round since July. After a six-month absence due to mental health struggles, the Frenchman credited a refreshed mindset for his impressive performance.
Lorenzo-Vera, who last played at the Barracuda Championship in July, took time off to focus on his well-being, working with the DP World Tour’s medical team. “I had a lot of treatment to do and resting, working a lot on my mental strength,” he said. During his break, he played recreationally, starting with relaxed rounds of 18 and 27 holes, aiming to rediscover his love for the game.
“Just play golf, find joy in the game, and it feels good,” he added.
The 39-year-old impressed on the Majlis Course, eagleing the par-five 18th and adding birdies on the second and fifth, despite a lone bogey on the sixth. Reflecting on his return, he’s remaining as cool as usual, “The mindset was very important… just go out there and enjoy playing golf, which was not easy the last two to three years.”
Lorenzo-Vera, who has struggled with consistency in recent years, is hopeful for the future, saying, “I felt I could play some proper golf because I feel rested.”
Main image: David Cannon / Getty Images
