Back from the brink: Taiwan's Lu Wei-chih on road to recovery at Hong Kong Open after battling brain tumour
The 36-year-old is the early leader at Fanling after hardly being able to lift a club not long ago
There were times after his brain surgery when Lu Wei-chih doubted he’d ever be able to finish a round of golf again - let alone see his name up there at the top of a leaderboard.
“I wasn't quite sure how much longer I would last [playing],” revealed the 36-year-old on Thursday, as he shot a six-under 64 to take the early clubhouse lead in the opening round of the US$2 million UBS Hong Kong Open.
“I pretty much lost all my confidence and trust because I had no power and I didn't think I could play anymore.”
WATCH: Lu shares how he battles back after undergoing a brain surgery
It’s been a long road back to full fitness for Lu after an operation to remove a non-malignant brain tumour in 2012, but his form and his fitness are slowly returning, as evidenced by his display at Fanling
Lu took time after his round to share some emotional reflections on how far he had come since surgery put a stop to his career that the Taiwanese player feared might become permanent.
“I had to rest for over six months, and then finally, I started playing a little bit on the Taiwan Tour,” said Lu.