A year after being diagnosed with leukemia, golfer Michael Hendry plays at the British Open

TROON, Scotland (AP) — Michael Hendry’s par putt on the ninth hole at Royal Troon wasn’t anything special. But the hug from his 9-year-old daughter afterward was.

The 44-year-old New Zealander played at the British Open on Thursday, just over a year after being diagnosed with leukemia, and shot the most rewarding 3-over 74 he has ever shot.

“It was incredible. Words can’t describe how grateful I am, not only to the R&A but to all the doctors and nurses who have helped me over the last 12 months,” Hendry said. “It was incredibly special. This is something that has really helped me through my recovery. To finally be here and tee up was incredibly special.”

Hendry thought he had the flu and went to the doctor in April last year. A few tests later he was in a hospital in Auckland and was not allowed to leave for 6 1/2 weeks. Several rounds of chemotherapy followed and he lost more than 30 pounds (13 kilos).

In the meantime, however, he was motivated by the R&A’s offer to reserve a place for Royal Troon, and if he was healthy enough to play, he would be given a medical exemption.

“It gave him something to look forward to when he was sick,” Tara Hendry said after her husband made par on the 18th hole.

The whole family made the trip. The Hendrys have two young daughters, Maddie and Harper. Maddie, 9, shouted “Go Dad!” after Hendry sank a short putt for par on the 10th.

Hendry, who missed the cut in his previous Open appearances in 2017 and 2018, said it was “really special” to have his family here this week.

“I was really hoping I would be healthy enough to play so I could take them with me. I’m not a youngster anymore and when we play on the Japan Tour we don’t get that many opportunities to get into big events,” he said.

“This could be my last British Open. So with a young family, and my daughters are just at the age now where they can kind of understand what daddy does, and to have them here and experience the Open, which is the biggest, oldest, best golf tournament of all, gives them a really cool perspective on what daddy does.”

Hendry was 3 over par after three holes, admitting he was nervous and thinking too much about his journey from a hospital bed to the British Open.

“It was a mix of too many memories, too many thoughts of ‘Jeezus, I’m really here, I’m really doing this.’ Once I got through that, I was able to get back into tournament mode and I played pretty well.”

Hendry, who is in remission, took his second victory on the Japan Tour in May.

“I never thought I would never play golf again. I decided that even if I was sick, if I was healthy enough to play, I would try to play,” he said.

“I decided early on in the piece that I would try to dictate my life rather than let this dictate my life.”