Justin Rose believes confidence could be key as he looks to maintain his outstanding form at The Open Championship.
The 29 year old Englishman has won two of his last three US PGA Tour events and would have made it a hattrick but for a disappointing final round at the Travellers Championship that saw him let a three shot lead slip.
Having made his name as an amateur finishing tied fourth at Royal Birkdale in 1998, Rose is desperate to add a first Major Championship to his ever-improving CV at St Andrews.
"Confidence comes with good play, and there's certainly been some of that recently for me to enjoy," said Rose.
"But coming in here, I really don't feel necessarily that all those good weeks are going to help me all that much on Thursday. Thursday is about a new challenge, a new week, a new golf course. But should the week progress nicely and I find myself in contention, then that's when I might be able to draw upon the last few weeks.
"Until that point it's very much just getting down to business and enjoying this new challenge."
Rose is not the only European to have enjoyed a successful 2010 to date - there have been wins in America for Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy and most noticeably Graeme McDowell at the US Open Championship.
And with a host of continental players shining on The European Tour - most recently Edoardo Molinari at The Barclays Scottish Open - Rose insists there will be a strong European showing on the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon.
"I fully expect, whether you take it a little bit wider into British obviously or even European, I expect one of us to be in contention on Sunday, just pure numbers," added Rose.
"Numerically you look at the World Rankings, you look at the opportunity for us - it's probably better than it's been, dare I say, numbers wise ever.
"Just using that basis, I think one of us will be in contention Sunday afternoon."
