By John Reger
PGATOUR.com Contributor

LA QUINTA, Calif. – The PGA TOUR National Qualifying Tournament is not the most ideal spot to test a golfer’s game after rehabilitating from major surgery, but after one round it appears to be a perfect plan for Dennis Paulson.

Paulson shot a 1-under 71 on the Jack Nicklaus Course at PGA West in the first round of q-school after missing all of the 2006 season due to surgery on his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff, as well as remove bone spurs.

It was his first competitive round since last year’s second stage of qualifying school. After failing to advance to the finals, Paulson made the decision to have surgery on an injury that had been affecting his golf game for five years.

“I hurt it in 2001 and we couldn’t figure out what was going on,” Paulson said. “We had MRIs done and it didn’t show up. My back went out in December and I was having all these problems with my neck. I had taken all the narcotics my doctor had given me for five days and I still couldn’t move.”

The back wasn’t the problem, though, it was his left shoulder. Another MRI discovered the damage, and he scheduled the surgery immediately.

“There was a tear in the rotator and bone spurs up the ying-yang, and my doctor didn’t like what he saw with the labrum,” Paulson said. “A one-hour surgery took three hours and they took off almost an inch of bone out of my shoulder.”

Paulson had finished out of the top 125 on the money list three out of four years from 2002 to 2005. The winner of the 2000 Buick Classic knew something was wrong, but at the time just thought he was slumping.

“I look back on it now and it is so easy to figure it out,” Paulson said. “I couldn’t hit a wedge. I was in so much pain. It just got worse and worse. I just thought I couldn’t play. I am working as hard as I can. I am thinking I need to hit more balls. I was hitting so many balls and it was probably making it worse.”

During the rehabilitation process, Paulson’s doctor told him he could return to competitive golf in August, but Paulson wanted the shoulder to heal completely. Besides, the San Diego resident was enjoying spending time with his family.

“The doctor asked me to start hitting balls and I said ‘Do I have to?’ I hit some and it felt fine,” Paulson said. “He said I could probably come back in August, but I said no. I wanted to rest it the whole year. I didn’t want to go out and be 80 to 85 percent. I was spending time with the boys and it was nice to get away from the game.”

When Paulson did return, it was to play informal rounds with friends. He competed in a pro-am event three weeks ago and finished 5 under. The real test was going to be q-school, though, and Paulson is focused on finishing in the top 30 to regain his TOUR card.

“I don’t really want to play on the Nationwide Tour,” he said. “If I don’t make it, so be it. I don’t want to put any more pressure on myself. I have never, ever not been able to play out here when I am healthy.”

The body has healed now, and Paulson has always had a healthy philosophy on the game.

“I still want to play,” Paulson said. “I want to play my tail off for three more years and then retire. I don’t want to play the (Champions Tour) unless I have to. I love golf, but I love my family more and this year made me appreciate what I do for a living and my family a lot more. If I had another $4 or $5 million in the bank I could retire and I would walk away, but I don’t.”

At 44, Paulson wants to join golfers like Vijay Singh and Davis Love III, who have thrived in their 40s.

“I want to do this, I enjoy it,” Paulson said. “My body is in pretty good shape now. My best golf might be behind me, but my smartest golf might be ahead of me.”