Rory McIlroy is hopeful that a new relaxed attitude at Augusta National can help him win his first Masters Tournament and complete the much-coveted Grand Slam of Major Championships.
Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have won all four of golf's blue riband events and McIlroy is taking a second bite of the cherry in Georgia after he got to three out of four with victory at The Open Championship in 2014.
He finished fourth last season as Jordan Spieth won in record-breaking fashion and, after toning down his practice routine ahead of the year's first Major, the World Number Three is feeling confident at an event he is convinced he will win one day.
"I feel like I'm a good enough player," he said. "I feel like I've got everything I need to become a Masters Champion. But I think each and every year that passes that I don't, it will become increasingly more difficult. So there's no time like the present to get it done.
"I've got a great game for here. I hit it high. I can land the ball soft. I've got decent touch around the greens.
"The only thing that's probably held me back in my career and here is putting. You would think that this was a golf course that I can definitely win on here, I know that. I just haven't quite been able to get myself over the hurdle."
The 26 year old has been practising with fellow European Tour Members Jamie Donaldson, Matt Fitzpatrick, Andy Sullivan, Bernd Wiesberger and Chris Wood at Augusta National this week and will not play in the par-three tournament on Wednesday.
He will play nine holes on the eve of the tournament before relaxing ahead of going out in the last group on Thursday, and believes that approach can help him relieve the pressure he has faced in previous years.
Someone once told me pressure's for tyres. The pressure I should feel is the pressure I put on myself and any outside influences, it shouldn't really come into play - Rory McIlroy
"I really feel like I play my best golf when I'm more relaxed, when I'm having fun out there and I'm not overdoing it, not overthinking it.
"The reason why I didn't come up early was because of that. It's a very special event and obviously it is different in its own way, but I don't want to treat it any differently.
"I want to come here and prepare the best way possible for me, and that's even the last couple of days, I've played one ball, played a match with Chris Wood yesterday. We played a fourball match today, the four of us.
"I'm trying not to look too much into it."
McIlroy will face a tough task this week against World Number One Jason Day, who is going for a second consecutive Major, and Spieth who is looking for his third Major title win in the last five.
But he feels a victory and the completion of the Grand Slam can separate him from his illustrious rivals.
"To be only one of six people to do it, I feel like I've set myself apart from the guys that are playing here this week," he said. "Obviously Phil (Mickelson) has a chance to do that when he goes to the US Open, as well.
"It's something that I'd obviously be very proud of and something that I feel would set me apart."
