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Reigning Open Championship winner Shane Lowry is delighted that the PGA Tour is resuming in June despite coronavirus fears.
The Charles Schwab Challenge, teeing off on 11 June in Texas, is scheduled to be the first event back in action.
"I'm very excited as it gives me a date to work towards - I miss golf, I miss just playing the game," Lowry told BBC Sport.
"I've got goals to come out stronger and fitter than I've ever been."
The 33-year-old Irishman clinched his maiden major championship in last year's Open at Royal Portrush but has seen the defence of his title - the 2020 Open at Royal St George's in July - cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
While Lowry admits he is disappointed not to get the chance to defend the Claret Jug this year, the prospect of returning to action in June has given him a much-needed boost, even if there won't be any spectators to watch the action.
"Yes, it will different but to be honest I wouldn't really care. I will just be happy to be back playing tournament golf - any sort of golf as I haven't touched a club in nearly four weeks now," he said.
"I've kind of struggled a little bit in the last few weeks with not having anything to work towards, but now I have a date in my head. If it goes ahead great and then we'll get back to playing golf.
"First and foremost the health and safety of everyone will be at the top of their (PGA Tour) priorities. As long as everyone can stay safe and healthy it will be great to get back to playing tournament golf.
"To be able to play in the Masters, whether in November or April, doesn't matter to me - to go to Augusta on any day is always a special day for me.
"I hope we get to a stage where the tournaments start having crowds, to get back to some sort of normality, but I'll just be happy to get back playing golf. I miss just simple things like hitting a bucket of balls."
- TEAMtalk media
