It was a very emotionally and physically draining Monday after I was involved in a protracted battle for a spot in the US Open at the International Sectional Qualifier at Walton Heath.

We went through 36 holes of golf during the day, and then I was involved in a play-off that lasted five holes. Sebastian Soderberg drained a long birdie putt on the fifth hole and that meant I was out of the equation.

I may have missed out, but I look back at it with a mix of grief and relief. Obviously, I would have loved to be in Oakmont in two weeks. The US Open, given how hard the golf courses are set up by the USGA, is one of my favourite tournaments to play.

I played the 2007 US Open when it was last held in Oakmont, and it really was a battle of attrition. Angel Cabrera won the tournament that year with a score of five-over par and I thought I played excellent golf to shoot 18-over and finish tied 36th!

While I will miss being there – of course, I still have a chance as I will enjoy an alternate status – I am taking heart from how well I played the 36 holes on Monday. The game is slowly but surely coming back and there is a lot more consistency. I am slowly getting over the subconscious fear that comes after every injury that you might aggravate it with a faulty move. I am trusting my body more. I will try to take the positives as I head off to Stockholm for the Nordea Masters on the European Tour this week.

The qualifier came right after the BMW PGA Championship, which was won by Chris Wood with a superb Sunday round. Wood is one of the tallest guys on our Tour and also one of the quietest. But don’t be fooled by his demeanour. He is one of the hardest working pros you can come across in the business and the success at Wentworth was well deserved.

Over in the US, Jordan Spieth pulled off his second win of the year and the first in his home state Texas at the Dean & DeLuca Invitational. His back nine play was just awesome and it did seem like he saved his best for the last. To complete the last nine holes of golf tournament, especially when you are in contention, in just nine putts, is incredible golf.

Spieth, along with world No 1 Jason Day and No 3 Rory McIlroy, will all be playing this week’s Memorial tournament hosted by Jack Nicklaus. Given the fact that all three have won recently – Day took home the Players Championship and McIlroy the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open – the action unfolding at Muirfield Village in Ohio should make for exciting viewing.

(Jeev Milkha Singh is a four-time champion on the European Tour)