Rory McIlroy is hoping familiarity will bring glory as he once again goes in search of the career Grand Slam at the Masters Tournament.
The Northern Irishman is teeing it up at Augusta National for the ninth time in his career and has finished in the top ten the last three seasons, two of them while aiming to join the most elite club in golf.
The quest to join Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Gary Player in winning all four of golf's biggest events always puts more emphasis on McIlroy when he comes down Magnolia Lane, but he feels a sense of belonging helps him handle that better than ever.
"I've made a visit up here for a couple of days," he said. "I played 99 holes in two weeks here, so I've played the golf course enough, I feel. I'm ready to go.
"I've realised that the more I can get comfortable with this golf course and the club as a whole; the more I can get comfortable in the environment and the surroundings, the better. So that's why I came up here just before the WGC - Dell Technologies Match Play and played 27 holes and I came up Monday, Tuesday and played 54 in that two‑day span.
"The more I can just play the golf course and almost make it seem like second nature to me - where to hit the balls on the green and where to start putts and know where the pin positions are - the more that can become second nature, the better.
I played 99 holes in two weeks here, so I've played the golf course enough, I feel. I'm ready to go - Rory McIlroy
"That's why I played a lot of holes and played a lot of matches, as well. We all know more than likely where the pin positions are going to be so I didn't scope out the holes.
"I played matches, shot scores, played one ball, tried to do it that way because, obviously, that's what we're doing in the tournament and I thought that was a good way to prepare."
McIlroy is playing just his fourth European Tour event of the season after suffering a rib injury at the BMW SA Open hosted by City of Ekurhuleni but insists he is fully fit and is happy that some of the spotlight is off him this season.
With World Number One Dustin Johnson going for a fourth consecutive win worldwide and Jordan Spieth always a draw here after a win and two seconds in his three appearances, the 27 year old is happy to just focus on his game.
"I think it's been a relatively quiet build-up to the Masters for me, which has been quite nice," he said. "It's made a bit of a change from the last couple of years, especially 2015, coming off the back of two Major wins in a row and going for the career Grand Slam.
"Even last year I felt like the spotlight was shared a little bit among a few guys. Obviously this year, with Dustin winning three times, he's the form player right now and there's a lot of storylines.
"I don't feel like I can fly under the radar any more but, at the same time, it's sort of felt that way to me and it's been nice to be able to prepare and just go about my business and try to get ready for this tournament."
