GLENDALE, Ariz. – One year later and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will once again be a first for Jess Lockwood.

Last year, Lockwood was making his Built Ford Tough Series debut as a wide-eyed 18-year-old.

Now this coming weekend, the No. 2 ranked bull rider in the world standings will be returning to competition following the first significant injury of his professional career.

“I have been at home going to physical therapy since after Iron Cowboy,” Lockwood said. “Luckily, it has been moving ahead of schedule each week, and I am ready to go now. There is no pain or anything.”

Lockwood has missed the past five weeks after tearing his left groin attempting to ride Cooper Tires Brown Sugar at Iron Cowboy.

The 2017 world title contender has been rehabbing with Kristy Elgin in Broadus, Montana, three times a week.

The physical therapist put Lockwood through various exercises to strengthen his left groin involving ankle weights, resistance bands and medicine balls during his one-hour sessions.

“Holy crap was it tough,” Lockwood said. “She had me dripping in sweat each day. It sucked, but it was good.”

Lockwood has also been on his bucking machine, but admits “that isn’t much of a test” compared to a 1,800-pound bucking bull.

He expects to get on a practice bull either Monday or Tuesday to further test out his groin.

Lockwood didn’t drop any spots in the world standings. Although he has lost significant ground on world leader Eduardo Aparecido.

Aparecido went 1-for-3 at the Ak-Chin Invitational for a ninth-place finish (65 world points) and expanded his lead to 1,217.5 points on Lockwood.

The 26-year-old earned 880 points toward the standings during Lockwood’s absence.

“He has been riding good,” Lockwood said. “I have to get back there and do the same.”

Lockwood is 11-for-21 (52.38 percent) with two victories and a fifth-place finish.

The 19-year-old isn’t going to try and press to earn points or worry about trying to make up ground immediately in the world title race.

“I am just going to show up and try to ride every bull,” Lockwood said. “That is all I can do is just ride my bulls. It doesn’t matter what he or anyone else does. My job is to show up and ride. Make it easy like that.”

Lockwood understands there is always the chance of re-injuring his groin, but he believes he has done all he can to get ready.

“I am not worried at all,” Lockwood said. “She strength-tested me and actually my left leg is stronger than my right leg now. Left leg is 110 percent and right leg is 100. We are trying to work on the right leg too.”

It is also why Lockwood listened to two-time World Champion Justin McBride’s advice.

“He said, ‘I know you want to come back early and get some points, but don’t come back to early and you will hurt again and be out longer than you want,’” Lockwood said.

Nine-time World Champion Ty Murray is interested to see how Lockwood comes back.

“I am curious to see what Jess is going to do,” Murray said. “I am really interested in Jess. There is so much pressure on him to be this perfect human and perfect kid. He needs to go have some fun. He has a lot of freaking potential.”

Outside of rehab, Lockwood has kept things pretty low key for the past month.

He will only watch PBR events sparingly to see how his buddies 2016 World Champion Cooper Davis or Derek Kolbaba are riding.

“Otherwise I don’t like watching the events,” Lockwood said.

Lockwood has also been getting up at midnight and at 2 a.m. to check on his 15 cows that he bought after the 2015 World Finals that are in the calving process.

“It is nice, but I rather be going each weekend and be home during the week,” he said.

Lockwood is also scheduled to compete in this weekend’s 15/15 Bucking Battle at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, which will air on CBS national television Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The First PREMIER Bank PREMIER Bankcard Invitational begins Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET on PBR LIVE.

“It is going to be pretty nice to go back and be at the first (event) I was ever at,” Lockwood concluded. “I’m definitely excited.”

Follow Justin Felisko on Twitter @jfelisko