It was a good news/bad news scenario when I went for MRI and ultrasound scans this week.

The bad news was that the MRI revealed I had a small tear or rupture close to my right leg calf muscle. The good news was the ultrasound showed that I wasn’t pregnant.

So how did I come by the problem which flared up during last weekend’s French Open?  The simple answer is that I have absolutely no idea. What happened was that the problem area began to swell and the pain increased. It wasn’t much fun.

Medical opinion was that I should rest for a week and then see how things developed. Anyway the news hounds sniffed a story and since last weekend I have read that I am a doubtful for next week’s Open Championship. Gave them something to write about I suppose but, to paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.

Truth is, I will be extremely surprised if I do not take my place among the 156 starters for golf’s greatest prize. The reason for my optimism is the treatment I have been receiving has subdued the swelling and the pain. As far as the worst case scenario is concerned, I might have to play with my leg strapped, but the way things are progressing at the moment I doubt that I’ll need to even do that.

This is a new situation for me because I have been relatively injury free throughout my career. I suppose it came about through general wear and tear over a period of time.

The healing progress has been accelerated by a machine I have strapped to my leg three times a day for 50 minutes at a time to help control the compression and cool the inflamed area. It’s worked a treat and today I have been able to walk freely and without pain for the first time since it first blew up in France.

I’ve been chipping and putting a bit and hopefully I’ll be back in full swing again this weekend. I’ll just monitor how it goes, but things are looking a lot brighter than they were a few days ago.

I’m not the sort who can lay around doing nothing, but the doctors recommended complete rest and that’s what I’ve had and hopefully I’ll be all the better for it.

It was disappointing to have to pull out of JP McManus’s pro-am in Ireland on Monday and Tuesday, but there was no alternative and I was delighted to see my old friend Darren Clarke back in the winner’s enclosure.

I’ve been where Darren’s been and hopefully he will be able to follow the same route that I did to get back among the world’s best. I’m sure it will happen for him sometime soon.

Now it’s all eyes on Scotland as The Open returns for its five-yearly visit to the home of golf.   It’s a special place and I’m hoping it’s going to be a very special week for me.