Luke Donald will once again try to win his first Major this week at the US PGA Championship, but this time will do so having been inspired and motivated by Team GB’s success at the Olympics.
The Englishman spoke while evading ferocious rain, thunder and lightning on Tuesday at Kiawah Island in South Carolina, where the US PGA Championship - starting on in two days' time - will be his 38th attempt to land one of the four biggest titles in golf.
"It's good to know hard work pays off, I've always tried to think in those terms," said the World Number One.
Donald watched Andy Murray beat Roger Federer during a rain delay in Akron on Sunday and has tried to capture as much of the London action as possible, although much of it is being shown delayed on American television.
"That takes the edge off when you know who's going to win, but I think Mo Farah's last lap was pretty special and obviously Jessica Ennis, living up to the expectation that was put on her shoulders," Donald added. "She was kind of the poster child for the Olympic Games.
"They're all inspiring in their own way. The fact that you have one event every four years to really work hard, to see some of the guys who don't perform and to see some of the guys that perform and win gold, I mean, there's a lot of raw emotions there.
"And watching certainly has inspired me a lot in terms of having that wish to be there in four years, to have an opportunity to also win a gold medal."
Golf will return to the Games in Rio after a 108 year hiatus, and to be there Donald will either have to be in the world's top 15 still or one of Britain's top-two players.
The final major of the season inevitably flies somewhat under the radar this week as the Olympics continue, but that will not make victory taste any less sweet for the 34 year old, who saw his fifth-placed finish at The Open Championship three weeks ago as something of a breakthrough.
It was not where he came, but more how he felt that Donald takes heart from, especially after the bitter disappointment of missing the halfway cut at the US Open in June.
"Coming off the US Open I was very disappointed how I kind of handled the situation mentally," Donald said.
"I didn't come in hitting the ball that great and maybe that added to some of the anxiety. But certainly I think there was a little bit of a breakthrough, just realising at The Open that no matter how I'm hitting it physically there's always a way to mentally be on top.
"I did that very well and as a result I also played pretty well."
At Royal Lytham & St Annes last month, Ernie Els became the 16th different Major winner in succession, and before the 94th staging of the US PGA Championship Donald reflected on the impetus that could impart and on whether he could become the 17th on that lengthening list this week on The Ocean Course.
"I guess the longer the streak goes, the more encouragement it gives to those guys who haven't yet won a major, like myself. But I'm not sure if it changes anything for me. I continue to focus on what I can do and hopefully give myself a chance on Sunday."
Donald will also draw encouragement from a tied eighth finish at last week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club, his fourth top ten in nine appearances on The European Tour so far this year.
