'I'd just retire': Canberra golfer set for back surgery to save career

The Canberra golfer will have back surgery in January that will rule him out of playing for most of 2024, with a potential return in August.

Millar's been battling back issues for the past two years and will get two discs fused to try to fix the issue.

He's been trying to manage it through physio and injections, but now going under the knife was the only solution.

"I'll be having surgery January 8 ... L5-S1 fusion," Millar said.

"That's pretty much what we're left with and they'll put a cage in between the discs to give me a bit of space there because there's no disc between that one and the four above.

"That will certainly help and take some pressure off so the nerves aren't getting wedged in there.

"Sounds like a lot of fun doesn't it.

"[The surgeon] thinks it will do what it needs to do to give me some longevity over the next 10 years."

It will put him out of action for most of 2024, with a return to play in about August.

He'll even be unable to coach at his club Federal for two months.

"It puts me out for a fair bit - probably five months, but definitely two before you can be up and moving around and coach or anything," Millar said.

"It's going to be a bit of a rough trot for a while.

"It'll probably be August before I play anything I reckon - maybe sooner, but I won't be rushing.

"I'll make sure I get everything right, do what I've got to do, coming back from it - rather than rushing back.

"See if I can get things right as soon as possible, but more so in a couple of years' time when it comes time to look at Champions Tour for seniors.

"That's the aim of getting this done. If I didn't need to worry about that I probably wouldn't have it done and I'd just retire from golf."

Millar struggled through both the Australian PGA and Aussie Open off the back of a limited preparation.

He finished 80^th at six over after making the cut at the PGA, which was won by Mon Woo Lee.

But he missed the cut at the Australian Open.

Millar said he made a lot of "basic mistakes" as a result of his rustiness and he will now wait for surgery in the New Year.

He'll then have to gradually build his way up from starting to putt about three months after surgery, then progressing to do some chipping before eventually beginning to hit long irons and woods.

Millar's been warned he may have to adjust his swing post surgery.

"I didn't play fantastic or anything ... just basic mistakes," he said.

"We'll pack it up and start again after we have all this surgery done.

"It'll move differently. [The surgeon] said I can't tell you how, but you'll work it out as you go.

"It might take you a little bit of working out that things don't move the same there.

"That might be a bit of a challenge, but we'll see. A few unknowns."