Now he feels rested and is hoping to play a starring role once again.

"It is awesome coming back here," said Daly, after his first practice round on Monday.

"My heart is beating and it is great to be back.

"I got my hip popped back into place last week and then I had to rest, but over the last three days I have worked really hard on my game.

Singh is eyeing another Major success

"I struck the ball well out there. It started to hurt once it got cold out there, so I have got to go and stretch it."

Meanwhile, US Masters champion Vijay Singh believes he can become the first Asian golfer to win The Open.

The April triumph in Augusta has been a massive boost to his confidence.

He was one of Daly's closest challengers during that epic finale to the 1995 championship.

"I had a chance to win that. People don't realise how close I got to it," he said.

He was poised to win as he entered the final back nine, but he three-putted four times and finished in a tie for sixth place two strokes behind the eventual winner.

Els is moving up the world rankings

Singh is in ninth place in the latest world rankings, which see South African Ernie Els up to third following his win in the Loch Lomond Invitational in Scotland on Saturday.

Els is headed only by David Duval and runaway leader Tiger Woods, with Colin Montgomerie of Scotland moving back a place to fourth and Lee Westwood at fifth.