Sergio Garcia is hoping to use this week's WGC - Dell Technologies Match Play as the perfect springboard for the Masters Tournament in two weeks.
The Spaniard is a formidable match play golfer, winning 22 ½ points in eight Ryder Cup appearances for Europe, but his best finish in his previous 14 appearances at this event was a semi-final in 2010.
He failed to get out of the group stages last year at Austin Country Club but was pleased with his play, and is determined to put up a good performance again.
"You can leave here without winning and feeling very, very well with yourself and your swing and the way you're playing," he said.
"So that's kind of like the way I felt last year. I didn't get through to the round of 16, but I felt like I played really well.
"So those good feelings, good sensations are always important moving forward. But if you can get through to the weekend and win or have a chance at winning, obviously you know that you're doing some things well."
To do that Garcia will have to get out of a group containing Ireland's Shane Lowry, American Kevin Chappell and his in-form countryman Jon Rahm.
Rahm has recently joined the European Tour and Garcia believes the 22 year old can make a big impact both this week and beyond.
"I don't think there's any easy groups out there, but obviously I'm in a group with guys that are great players," he said. "Jon has been playing very, very nicely and it's nice to see, coming from another fellow Spaniard.
If you can get through to the weekend and win or have a chance at winning, obviously you know that you're doing some things well - Sergio Garcia
"It's not an easy group. It's a challenging one. But the good thing is, the way I look at it, is if I can get out of this group, it means that I'm playing really well because none of those guys are going to give anything away.
"So hopefully we'll be able to do that and it will be nice to have the possibility of playing it off with Jon on Friday. But we've got to start with tomorrow, obviously.
"He definitely has a good chance (of winning the Masters Tournament). I think he's playing very well. He's got a lot of confidence. He's got a good short game. Obviously he's got a very nice long game. So he definitely has a chance.
"Then there's so many little things that have to line up for you to be able to win one of the Majors or even more the Masters. But I definitely would say that he does have a good chance, yeah."
