Greystones' Paul Dunne is uncertain when he will return to action after undergoing surgery on his right hand earlier this week.

The former British Masters champion (27) suffered a wrist injury practising "at home" on November 4 and sought medical advice after the problem worsened, forcing him to miss the Final Stage of the European Tour Qualifying School in Spain.

“Had successful surgery on my hand last Monday after a recent injury and am healing up well,” Dunne reported on Twitter yesterday.

"Right now the plan is to rest and wait for the rehab process to start up when the cast is removed. Looking forward to coming back ready to play - whenever that is.”

The Wicklow man had a bitterly disappointing season, making just nine of 24 cuts to finish 124th in the Race to Dubai and lose his full European Tour playing rights before revealing on November 11 that he had suffered an injury to his right wrist.

He is not the first golfer force to take time off due to a hand injury in recent months.

Ryder Cup captain Pádraig Harrington slipped on stairs at home last winter but what he initially believed to be a simple sprain turned out to be a broken bone in his hand.

The Dubliner had hoped to return to action in February but did not get to start the 2019 season until late March and now has 13 events of a medical exemption remaining to keep his PGA Tour status.

Turkish Airlines Open winner Tyrrell Hatton underwent surgery on his right wrist on November 29 while world number one Brooks Koepka, Chez Reavie and former US PGA winner Justin Thomas have all suffered wrist injuries in recent seasons.

Few players have suffered more injury woes than Tiger Woods (43), and the Masters champion showed signs of rustiness after a five-week break when he opened with a rollercoaster 72 in his $3.5 million Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas last night.

Set to act as a playing captain in next week's Presidents Cup in Australia, the 15-time major winner turned in two-over at Albany Golf Club, but after firing an eagle and three birdies in a five-hole stretch to get to three-under, he bogeyed the 17th and three-putted for a double-bogey at six the last.

His level par 72 left him six shots behind Patrick Reed and reigning US Open champion Gary Woodland, who carded six-under-par 66's to lead by two shots from Reavie.