Patrick Reed will be making a childhood wish come true at 10.25 on Thursday morning when he tees off in the first round of the Olympic Men's Golf Competition.
The 26 year old is part of a four-strong United States team alongside Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar in Rio de Janeiro as golf returns to the Olympic Games for the first time since 1904.
During that 112-year absence, the four Major Championships have cemented themselves as the big prizes to win in the game, but Reed is excited by the prospect of becoming the first gold medallist since Canada's George Lyon.
"Growing up, all we really dreamed about was the Majors because golf was never a part of it," he said.
"I remember when I was little watching the Olympics and wishing that I had the chance to go and play for a gold medal. And now that we actually have that opportunity, it's awesome.
"Being first time and being here, it's something that I'm definitely going to soak it in and go look at every place and try to see multiple events and just kind of live the dream.
"I can't wait for my little daughter to get old enough so I can tell her, 'hey, your dad's been an Olympian', and just show her the pictures from the week, show her pictures of us hanging out with the guys. It's so cool. And to have this opportunity is just amazing.
Carrying home a gold on the flight back would be out of this world. I might even wear it at my next event, the problem is with it being gold, it is kind of heavy - Patrick Reed
Reed's victory at the 2014 WGC - Cadillac Championship was his big breakthrough and he made headlines later that year winning 3.5 points out of 4 and shushing the crowd as part of the beaten US Ryder Cup team at Gleneagles.
His fervour for international competition was clearly on show in Scotland and he is planning to tap into a similar well of emotion this week.
"Anytime you wear the Stars and Stripes for me, you get that same kind of feeling, you can't wait to tee it up," he said. "It takes it to a whole other level.
"Today since there are not any fans on the golf course it feels like a normal kind of working day but come Thursday when you have all the fans around, that is when it will really set in, just like it did at the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup - where it is 'alright, here we go'."
