Fraser said yesterday he had been buoyed by his strong performances since recovering from hand surgery and was eager to make up for lost time.

After hosting his ambrose tournament at Corowa this weekend, the right-hander will take a week off before returning to the Middle East.

“I have been really surprised by the way I have come back after nine months off,” Fraser said.

“I wasn’t expecting too much, I just went out to have a hit and see where I was at.

“To play in five or six events and lead two of them going into the final round was rewarding.

“It reassured me that I could still compete.”

Since returning from injury in October, Fraser has finished fifth in the Hong Kong Open, 15th in the Perth International and second to Lee Westwood in the Thailand Golf Championship after he bogeyed the final hole.

His next assignments are Abu Dhabi and Qatar before returning to Melbourne for his son Archie’s first day at school.

“You miss a bit being away a lot of the time but I wasn’t going to miss his first day,” he said.

Fraser booked a start in the British Open in July by finishing in the top four at the Thailand Championship and said he was excited to be returning to St Andrews.

“It will be my ninth major and fifth British Open and it’s where I played my first major,” he said.

“It will be great fun.

“It’s obviously a pretty special tournament.”

Another of Fraser’s highlights is returning to Corowa each year.

A massive field will play today and tomorrow, with Fraser proud of how the Border golfing fraternity has pulled together.

“I call this my fifth major of the year,” he said.

“Shaun (Whitechurch) does an unbelievable job organising it.

“The course is in amazing condition considering the heat.

“The objective is getting people here to raise some much-needed funds for the club, and the response has been fantastic again.

“We are very fortunate to have celebrities come back every year and support it for nothing.”