Sebastian Heisele: 'I felt like I was sat next to a ghost of myself'

Dubai-raised German bounces back to health after thyroid surgery with a spectacular start to Ras Al Khaimah's DP World Tour debut

Sebastian Heisele stormed into contention in the first round of the Ras al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital. Getty Images

There was the faintest false start to the first day of Ras Al Khaimah’s debut in golf's big league, as the DP World Tour arrived in the northern emirate on Thursday morning.

With the sun still yet to make a full appearance from behind the houses of Al Hamra Village, the first three-ball of the Ras Al Khaimah Championship presented by Phoenix Capital was ready to get started.

“On the tee from Austria, Lucas Nemecz,” said the announcer. Cue some awkward glances and wry grins. “No? OK, Marcel Schneider.”

The mistaken identity was forgivable. Some of the faces at the tour’s newest venue this week might not be quite as recognisable as those on show at That Other Tournament happening elsewhere in the Middle East at present.

The third player in the opening match was, though, familiar. At least for keen observers of the sport in the UAE. Even if he has been missing from the tour for the best part of five months due to a worrying health issue.

Sebastian Heisele is a German professional who was brought up in the UAE. The former Emirates Golf Club member brought his local knowledge to bear with a flawless opening round.

By the time he signed for a 7-under-par 65, Heisele was leading the tournament at Al Hamra Golf Club. It was an uplifting return to action for a player who has endured a problematic recent past.

Heisele’s star had appeared to be in the ascendant when he started the 2020 season by finishing in a tie for 21st at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, followed by a fine opening two rounds at the Dubai Desert Classic, played at his former home club.

He slumped over the final two days, though, and he traces back his ensuing problems to that tournament.

“I was there on Sunday in Dubai, thinking I had a decent week to start the year in Abu Dhabi,” Heisele, 33, said of that time two years ago.

Sebastian Heisele was towards the top of the leaderboard at the 2020 Dubai Desert Classic, but come Sunday he felt like he "was sat next to a ghost of myself". Antonie Robertson / The National

“Then at the Classic I was sixth or seventh going into the weekend, which was decent up until that point, with home course advantage in a way.

“Come Sunday, I just felt like I was sat next to a ghost of myself. I couldn’t concentrate, wasn’t there at all, and didn’t know what I was doing really.

“I felt like that for much of [2020] as well after the break we had for the pandemic. Last year was the same. I couldn’t concentrate, I was nervous at times. I tried to get 10 hours of sleep per night, to hopefully feel good, but it just wasn’t there for me.

“That was obviously not to my advantage, but it is not to excuse last year’s scores. It was good to see that today went in the right direction.”

After speaking to “literally everybody I could find in Munich to try to find an answer for why I felt like I did,” Heisele had surgery to remove his thyroid last October. It was followed by four days in hospital, and weeks away from the golf course.

After signing for an opening round 7-under-par 65 at the Ras al Khaimah Championship, Sebastian Heisele hopes he can finally get his name on the winners' board at Al Hamra Golf Club. Getty Images

“There came a point where I thought I might be missing hormones or testosterone to try and get me going, and help me concentrate,” Heisele said.

“I had organs checked, but it all came back OK. I knew I had some nodules in my thyroid. The doctors said there would come a point when this could go cancerous, and you were not far off having this removed at some point during your life.”

The scar from the operation, where his neck meets his chest, is barely visible and he feels healed now.

Judged by his first day back on tour, his form is back, too. As a former resident of the UAE, he knows the course well, although he has yet to taste success round the 7,325 yard set up.

He finished 32nd then 33rd in appearances at the RAK Challenge on the Challenge Tour in 2016 and 2017, and he scarcely fared much better going further back, either.

Al Hamra Golf Club course guide

General view of Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah, which will host the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on February 3-6, 2022. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

View of the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

Preparations for the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, which will become a DP World Tour tournament for the first time on February 3-6, 2022.

Dindy Macatlang, Golf course superintendent at the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

View of the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

View of the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

British golfer Ross McGowan playing golf at the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

Preparations for the Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

Dindy Macatlang, golf course superintendent, makes his rounds at the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

Golfers putt on one of the greens at Al Hamra Golf Club.

Dindy Macatlang, golf course superintendent, inspects a fairway Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

View of the par-5 18th tee at Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

Preparations for the Ras Al Khaimah Championship, which will become a DP World Tour tournament for the first time next week at Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

Ross McGowan playing golf at the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

View of the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

View of the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

Ross McGowan playing golf at the Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

Dindy Macatlang, golf course superintendent, drives a buggy around Al Hamra Golf Club in Ras Al Khaimah.

After a start he described as “spectacular” on Thursday, though, he is eyeing the possibility of adding his name to a different list.

“I don’t think it necessarily goes into what happened today but having been raised [in Dubai] I obviously have good connections here,” Heisele said.

“I saw the board in the clubhouse, the RAK Men’s Open. I would have played my fair share of those. I didn’t ever win it actually. I was busy looking for my name, but it didn’t pop up.

“Maybe I’ll be able to add my name on a different, more prestigious board that might be here in the future.”