Billy Horschel is looking to take another step towards becoming the first American to win the Race to Dubai at the 2021 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
It has been a season of firsts for the 34-year-old, who has claimed a maiden World Golf Championships title and a first Rolex Series win to sit second in the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex.
A top three finish this week could see him knock Open Champion Collin Morikawa off the top heading into the final few weeks of the season, and Horschel is eager to be the man making history at the season ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai.
"The big goal for me is to win the Race to Dubai, be the first American to do that," he said. "That's a special thing to do as it was being the first American to win a Rolex Series event and being the second American to win at Wentworth, the BMW PGA.
"It's been a nice few weeks to accomplish some of those things that may not have been goals but you find out that you're in elite company, a rare air with some people.
The big goal for me is to win the Race to Dubai, be the first American to do that
"So hopefully I can play well this week and then obviously it's going to come down to that week in Dubai, who plays the best out of some of those guys at the top."
Horschel will be making his Alfred Dunhill Links debut this week as he takes on Kingsbarns and Carnoustie Golf Links for the first time.
He achieved his best Open Championship finish over the Old Course at St Andrews in 2015 when he finished in the top 30, but this trip to the Home of Golf will be even more special.
His father will be playing alongside him in the team event as part of Billy Horschel Snr's 70th birthday celebrations, and the 2014 FedEx Cup champion cannot wait to get started on the Scottish coast.
"This is a special opportunity," he said. "When we decided to play the Dunhill Links, I think in July, I was curious if I could get my dad in to play this event because his birthday is on Friday. He turns 70. So it was great that Johann (Rupert) and his staff allowed me to play with him this week.
"St Andrews is such a beautiful place, beautiful golf course.
"To play Kingsbarns on Monday for the first time and seeing it, and people raved about it for years, truly was amazing.
"And I didn't play The Open Championship in 2018 at Carnoustie, so that was the first time seeing it yesterday, and it's a beast of a golf course and I can understand why it's called Car-nasty now, especially with the conditions that it looks like we're going to be playing in this week.
"It's going to bare its teeth full force this week."
