Dale Whitnell admitted he wasn't sure if he'd return to professional golf but is hoping "bigger and better things" are to come as he made a strong start at the Final Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School after a year-long absence due to mental health.
The Englishman has not played in an Official World Golf Ranking event since stepping away from the game following last season's Genesis Championship in October 2025, when he lost his DP World Tour status after six years.
At the time, Whitnell cited the psychological toll of golf's "emotional rollercoaster" as instrumental in his decision to prioritise his wellbeing but earlier this week he said on social media he was ready to make his comeback and try to regain his DP World Tour playing rights for the 2027 season.
Having overcome "a long road back" to feel able to tee it up again, the 38-year-old was bogey free on Friday as he began the six-day Final Stage with a six-under-par 65 over the Lakes course at INFINITUM in Spain on Friday.
I'm fortunate enough to say I'm enjoying my golf again and hopefully it's bigger and better things to come.
Having already overcome "a long road back" to feel able to tee it up again, Whitnell was happy to be back enjoying the game again.
"I think I got to the stage where I wasn't enjoying my job and I grew up loving this game and it just took a mental toll on me and I sort of owned it and it was the right time for me to step away from the game," Whitnell tells the DP World Tour on Friday.
"I wasn't sure if I was going to come back, to be brutally honest, but I didn't touch a club for a couple of months and just sat down with my coach, family and friends and saw a psychologist.
"The Tour have been great. I've been seeing Dr Phil Hopley and one locally to myself and Dr. Andrew Murray as well.
"It's just been it's been a long road back and it's been challenging, but I'm fortunate enough to say I'm enjoying my golf again and hopefully it's bigger and better things to come."
Whitnell made three birdies on each nine as he set the early clubhouse lead before being overtaken by American HotelPlanner Tour player Alex Goff, who shot a 62 to reach nine under over the same course.
With the top 15 and ties from the 156-player field earning Category 18 DP World Tour membership and a full status on the HotelPlanner Tour, Whitnell is off to a promising start before switching to the Hills layout on Saturday.
"I played two rounds of golf with a scorecard in my hand in the last three weeks for a year and they were just individual rounds.
"It was good preparation, but obviously having six days is slightly different and against obviously some brilliant players."
Whitnell has teamed up with experienced caddie Garry Melia again, with whom he won the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed in Sweden 2023.
That familiarity is something that he hopes will prove beneficial across the gruelling nature of Final Stage, which he last played at in 2019.
"It's a bit like going back to school, literally," added Whitnell, who did some coaching during his period away from the game.
"I've done some good work while I have been away, but I'm really pleased with how I played.
"Gaz was great on the bag, just sort of one shot at a time, the old school rules, but they proved good today."
