Michael Hendry

“It feels a bit surreal to be honest, just by being here it feels like I have won the lottery,” says Michael Hendry – walking the Championship course with eyes wide and his heart full ahead of The 152nd Open.

It is just a year since the New Zealander was lying in a hospital bed, typing out a withdrawal letter to The R&A ahead of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.

The 44-year-old qualified for what would have been his third Open – and third major – by finishing second at the World City Championship in Hong Kong. But straight after what was one of the biggest achievements of his career, Hendry first noticed a lump on his chin.

Concerned, but not alarmed, he continued to play and even finished tied-11th at the Token Homemate Cup in Japan.

But fatigue soon set in, and it became harder to stay out of bed. Some days, he even slept for as much as 12 hours.

So, he went to the doctors and underwent tests. The results that came back revealed Hendry had leukaemia.

“It was literally two weeks from qualifying for Royal Liverpool to finding out,” he said.

It was a hammer blow. Golf, naturally, became unimportant and Hendry admits the hardest part was looking at pictures of his children and imagining their life without a father.

His treatment started quickly but was difficult to endure.

Due to chemotherapy, he lost 14kg in weight and barely had the strength to walk up the stairs, but – though unpleasant – it was effective.

And, with a medical exemption given by The R&A to play at Royal Troon this week, he is back at The Open.

“I went through some really hard health challenges last year and unfortunately missed out on playing at Royal Liverpool last year, even though I qualified,” he said.

“To have another opportunity to play The Open is amazing, considering how sick I was.

“Lying in a hospital bed, typing out my withdrawal from a hospital bed, 14 kilograms lighter in two weeks, it was brutal.

“To have the correspondence from The R&A come back and say ‘we’d love you to attend at Royal Troon if you are healthy enough to do so’, was a huge motivator for me. I think it had a huge impact on my recovery.”

Nine months after his diagnosis, Hendry made his return at the New Zealand Open. Incredibly, he then won his second Japan Tour title – and his first in nine years - at the For The Players, By The Players Championship in May.

Golf, he says, is not as important to him as it once was. And, consequently, his game has thrived.

“It’s funny, lying in hospital, golf was the least of my concerns, my perspectives changed,” he added.

“I really find golf a lot more enjoyable now.

“Maybe before I had my own mortality thrown in my face, I took the game a bit too seriously.”

Surrounded by his family, including daughter Maddison, this week, Hendry is determined to enjoy every moment.

He has played in two Opens before, at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and Carnoustie in 2018, but missed the cut both times.

Walking the course this week, relaxed and at ease, he has a different perspective – both on golf, and on life.

“I made the decision when I was sick that if my life is going to be shortened, I was going to go out on my terms,” he added.

“None of us get out of this alive, so live the life you want to live every day and enjoy it as much as you can.

“These kind of things are going to happen to a lot of people.

“Just don’t give up, especially if you have great friends and great family around you.

“These are the things to live for, so if you find yourself in a bit of strife – either physical or mental health – just keep going because the next day can be better.”