![\"00arjun-atwal\"](\"images\/golf\/00arjun-atwal.jpg\")
Kuala Lumpur: Indian star Arjun Atwal will make a long-awaited return on the Asian Tour when he features in the Venetian Macau Open later this month.<\/p>\nKuala Lumpur: Indian star Arjun Atwal will make a long-awaited return on the Asian Tour when he features in the Venetian Macau Open later this month.<\/p>\n
The former Asian number one, who is the first Indian to win on the PGA Tour when he claimed victory at the 2010 Wyndham Championship, is returning from a six-week layoff to recuperate from injuries which has plagued his 2013 season.<\/p>\n
The 40-year-old, who last played on the Asian Tour at the 2010 Hero Indian Open, said: \u201cI\u2019m just excited to come back to Asia to play again and see some faces I haven\u2019t seen in a while. I want to also try to gain back some confidence in my game.\u201d<\/p>\n
He will line up alongside four-time Major champion Ernie Els and title holder Gaganjeet Bhullar at the US$800,000 Venetian Macau Open from October 17 to 20, 2013.\n<\/p>\n
Atwal won the Order of Merit in 2003 to become India\u2019s first Asian number one before finding fame in the United States. Injuries have curtailed his career in the past few years which restricted his schedule to 18 tournaments on the PGA Tour and Web.Com Tour this year, based on his past champion\u2019s status.<\/p>\n
Asia is still very close to his heart and Atwal said he would continue to compete on the Asian Tour, which is celebrating its milestone 10th season in 2013, whenever the opportunity arises.<\/p>\n
\u201cI took six weeks off from golf to heal. It\u2019s the longest break that I\u2019ve taken since turning professional. I\u2019m feeling better now \u2026 getting old!\u201d said Atwal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will get about eight starts on the PGA Tour and Web.Com Tour next season which is through my past champion\u2019s category. And then I will try to play some on the Asian Tour,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Atwal has registered seven Asian Tour victories in his illustrious career, with the last in the region being the Maybank Malaysian Open in 2008.<\/p>\n
He has long been a strong supporter of the Asian Tour, saying the region\u2019s premier Tour provided the foundation for him to become a champion.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first Qualifying School was in 1995 in Asia and just to learn how to make cuts and finally be in contention and finally win, all those I learnt on the Asian Tour. Those were the best years of my life. I still say it. I had so much fun and everyone are so close. You still see the guys out here, it\u2019s great,\u201d said Atwal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kuala Lumpur: Indian star Arjun Atwal will make a long-awaited return on the Asian Tour when he features in the Venetian Macau Open later this month.<\/p>\n
The former Asian number one, who is the first Indian to win on the PGA Tour when he claimed victory at the 2010 Wyndham Championship, is returning from a six-week layoff to recuperate from injuries which has plagued his 2013 season.<\/p>\n
The 40-year-old, who last played on the Asian Tour at the 2010 Hero Indian Open, said: \u201cI\u2019m just excited to come back to Asia to play again and see some faces I haven\u2019t seen in a while. I want to also try to gain back some confidence in my game.\u201d<\/p>\n
He will line up alongside four-time Major champion Ernie Els and title holder Gaganjeet Bhullar at the US$800,000 Venetian Macau Open from October 17 to 20, 2013.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-latest"],"yoast_head":"\n