Min Woo Lee is looking forward to the famously tough test of Real Club Valderrama as he looks to go one better than last year's runner-up finish at the 2022 Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucía Masters.
The Australian finished a creditable 23rd on his professional debut at the 1997 Ryder Cup venue in 2019 and last year was three shots behind champion Matt Fitzpatrick when the prizes were handed out.
Fresh off a third place finish at the acciona Open de España presented by Madrid, he arrives in Sotogrande full of confidence, despite seeing one of European golf's most difficult tests in front of him.
"Around the greens you have to have good short game, you have to hit it good off the tee and your approach play has got to be on," he said. "The greens are pretty small and tiny so you've got to be pretty precise. If your short game is not on, it's a test, everyone knows that from experience.
"What I really love about this course is if you are just a little bit on and most of the field are struggling a little bit you can gain a lot from that.
"I think that's why it's such a good track, it separates the really good players from the players that aren't playing too well whereas at some courses it can happen that you can get away with it.
"Last week was more attack, attack, attack and this week it's a bit more strategic and you've got to play a bit more passive aggressive and just be smart and go at pins when you can."
The DP World Tour is in Spain for the fourth of five events in 2022, with the knowledgeable local crowds certain to once again turn out in force.
Lee played four rounds last week with Jon Rahm as the former World Number One won his national open for record-equalling third time.
The duo took huge crowds with them wherever they went and Lee was left to reflect on a memorable week.
"It was unbelievable," he said. "On my Instagram I said that is why we play the game.
"As a kid growing up we see Jon on TV and all these big stars and especially with the big crowds, that's why you play and that's why you want to get good and show off in front of them.
"To grow up and idolise Jon and idolise all these big stars that you end up playing with - that's why you do it.
"It was an unbelievable experience and you can't ask for (more than) that, it's just an amazing feeling.
"Obviously the crowd was there for Jon but there was a lot of people rooting for me as well which was nice and that's why I love Spain, the Spanish crowd was just unbelievable."
