Qatar Masters: Defending champion Ernie Els returns to the Commercialbank Qatar Masters with his hunger for the game renewed after an injury-hit 2005.

The 36-year-old spent most of last summer laid up with a knee problem, time away from the game the South African spent contemplating his future.

Els, who can equal Bernhard Langer's record of 69 successive European Tour cuts made this weekend, admits there were times when he enjoyed life away from the fairways after suffering his injury while sailing in the Mediterranean.

"I really didn't miss the game for the best part of two or three months, to be honest," he said. "I guess it was a blessing to have time off and to reflect on what you have done and what you still want to do.

"Before the injury, I had been playing professional golf for the best part of 16 years without any really long breaks. The last time I had a long break was in 2001 when I was out for five or six weeks with a back injury.

"With a young family, it was nice to be at home, especially in the summer. It was one very long holiday for me."

Once recuperated and ready to return, Els revealed he was concerned his devastating game of old, which had seen him claim four Majors and sit at number one in the world, would be blunted for good.

"After two or three months I did miss the game; I missed the competing," he continued. "You feel like you want to get out there and compete. But there is always the fear that when you come back you will not be the same, and something might go missing forever.

"The first week I came back at Sun City, one of my favourites stops, I was not in good shape. Mentally I was very nervous and I wasn't myself. I was playing the course I remembered and was comparing every shot with what I did in the past.

"I'm glad I came back in December, though. It was definitely a goal of mine to come back and, I hoped, get a win and play half-decent golf - which I did."

Els' second tournament back was the Dunhill Championship in South Africa, and with the cobwebs blown away, he was back to his languid best. He won there.

Now, with an extended festive break behind him, he is looking for an injury-free year when he can once again challenge the best in the business, starting in Doha with world number two Vijay Singh.

For his part, Singh is determined not to listen to those who have doubted his ability to putt - an argument given credence, in part, by the Fijian's inability to take many of the birdie chances which presented themselves at the Abu Dhabi Championship last weekend.

"People start talking about it, and you start listening," said the 42-year-old, who went into the weekend as favourite but finished nine shots adrift of winner Chris DiMarco in joint-eighth place.

"Even the taxi drivers have talked about it. You try not to listen, because it might seep into the brain one way or another," he added.

"It's never positive when people tell you things. They tell you a lot of things in a good way, but it comes across the wrong way most of the time.

"This year I said I wasn't going to listen; I am going to close my ears on everybody and do what I feel. You don't win nine tournaments (as he did in 2004) by putting badly - at some point I was putting well."

There are four Irish players competing Darren Clarke, who is making his first appearance of the year, Paul McGinley, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane.