Marcus Armitage is hoping a return to a happy hunting ground could kickstart his season as he prepares to make his first DP World Tour title defence at the 2022 Porsche European Open.
The Englishman claimed an emotional victory 12 months ago as he fired a closing 65 to come from four shots back and take the title by two shots at Green Eagle Golf Courses.
That helped propel him to a career-high finish of 42nd on the DP World Tour Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, but Armitage is aiming for better in 2022.
Despite having two top-tens and sitting at 44th in this season's Rankings, the 34-year-old is not entirely satisfied with his progress, and is hoping a good week in Germany can inspire him to big things.
"My maiden victory was fantastic and it instils a little belief into you that you can do what you've always dreamed of and it's great to be back," he said.
"I've had some good results, I'm up there on the top 50 in the Rankings but I'm not pleased with what I've done this year. I haven't really hit form where I feel like I'm in control. I feel like I've always been battling.
"Hopefully I can find a bit of form this week on a few of the memories from last year and win again and then press on for the rest of the season.
"There's been some big names who have won this tournament so to be on that trophy next to them is a dream come true and hopefully I can get on there twice."
Having teed off an hour before the leaders, Armitage was left with an anxious wait to see whether his eight-under total would bring him the trophy, and he revealed he took notes from players he had watched growing up as the final groups completed their rounds.
"I was four behind going into the final day and I just turned up and thought 'let's go and have a great day and then get home and move on'," he said.
"And then I set off like an absolute bullet and got it going and all of a sudden you're in a position where you can win. It wasn't until the last probably four or five holes that I realised that I had a real good chance on a tough golf course to post a score and get people behind me trying to catch me. I did that and I was buzzing at the end.
"There's been loads of guys in the past, I'm a student of the game and I've watched it, so I just tried to get on the range and get a quiet area where I can just focus on my breathing and be relaxed.
"You're watching your friends behind you, people like Matt Southgate come down the stretch and although you want them to mess up, you don't really because they're your mates, but inside you just want to win so that takes over.
"I was pretty chilled on the range, I think, and then I got the announcement that Matt couldn't catch me and Darius (van Driel) couldn't catch me and it was pretty special."
Armitage earned himself a U.S. Open Championship debut with his victory last season and could do the same again as the Qualifying Series comes to a close in Hamburg.
