PGA Tour Winner To Make Return In Puerto Rico After Eight Months Out

Aaron Wise returns to PGA Tour action in Puerto Rico this week after missing over eight months to deal with mental health issues

Aaron Wise
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Paul Higham
By Paul Higham
published

It's been a struggle for Aaron Wise, but he's set to return to action on the PGA Tour almost nine months after his last start.

Wise is among the field for the 2024 Puerto Rico Open which gets underway Thursday at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

The 27-year-old last teed it up at the 2023 US Open last June, but took a break after missing the cut in Los Angeles to deal with his mental health issues.

The 2018 AT&T Byron Nelson winner first had issues after withdrawing from the 2023 Masters at Augusta, saying at the time "I need to take some time away to focus on my mental health so I can get back to competing at a level I am proud of". 

Wise tried to return to action back at the Byron Nelson, then the PGA Championship and US Open before taking a full break from the PGA Tour.

Being played alongside the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, it will be a slightly low-key return to action for Wise, which is likely what he would want as he eases himself back into PGA Tour life.

South African-born American Wise certainly has talent, as the 2018 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year winner finished 13th in the FedEx Cup standings in 2022 before the mental aspect of the game just became too much.

"Golf is just as much a mental game as it is one of physical skill, and the mental piece of it has been a struggle for me recently," Wise said when withdrawing from The Masters. "This hurts, but it's needed."

With Wise taking his mental health so seriously, he must now feel refreshed and better prepared to take on the grind of the PGA Tour.

Aaron Wise won the 2018 Byron Nelson

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Also continuing his comeback in Puerto Rico is Daniel Berger, who is trying to get back into the swing of things following 18 months out with a back injury.

Berger has made three cuts in the four events he's appeared in since making his return to the PGA Tour at The American Express. 

The likes of Kevin Kisner, Brandt Snedeker, Robert MacIntyre, Joel Dahmen, Bill Haas, Camillo Villegas and Rasmus Hojgaard are all in the field in Puerto Rico with the Signature Event at Bay Hill being a smaller more select event this year.

Paul Higham
Paul Higham
Contributor

Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website.  Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush. 

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