Justin Rose was confident that a Green Jacket was still within his grasp after losing out in a play-off to Sergio Garcia at the Masters Tournament.
The duo came into Sunday afternoon tied for the lead and remained that way after 72 holes following an enthralling battle that ebbed and flowed right the way to the extra hole.
Garcia quickly jumped out into a three-shot lead but Rose moved two ahead on the back nine before the Spaniard went birdie-eagle on the 14th and 15th.
Rose then found the pine straw off the tee on the trip back up the 18th and with Garcia putting his approach to 12 feet, the Englishman was denied a second Major Championship to go with his US Open won in 2013.
But despite the disappointment, Rose feels more confident than ever that he will one day drive down Magnolia Lane on Sunday evening a champion.
"It's going to sting for sure but you know, I really feel like this is a tournament that I can still go on to win," he said. "I'd like to win three or four Green Jackets but one would be enough. I just want to win here.
I really feel like this is a tournament that I can still go on to win - Justin Rose
"So I have plenty more looks and I feel good about it happening, so I look forward. For me, golf is about April to September. That's where the big tournaments are. That's where the tournaments that change your career are. So this is the first one of four.
"I feel motivated for the summer and I will be moving on and setting goals very quickly after this.
"I would say this one probably is one that slipped by. I mean, I can't pick holes in my performance. I felt fantastic out there. I felt cool, calm and collected. I'm not going to sit here and second guess one or two shots. I really stepped up. I felt great, I felt in control, I felt positive, I felt confident.
"Barring a great comeback from Sergio, it was mine to cruise to the house but it's not always that easy.
"At the end of the day, you're going to win Majors and you're going to lose Majors but you've got to be willing to lose them. You've got to put yourself out there. You've got to hit the top of the leaderboard.
"There's a lot of pressure out there and if you're not willing to enjoy it, then you're not ready to win these tournaments. I loved it out there."
Rose and Garcia are both Ryder Cup team-mates and friends and the Olympic champion was happy to see the Spaniard claim Major glory at the 74th attempt.
"Sergio is obviously the best player not to have won a Major, no longer," he said. "That's great any time one of those types of players, there's a handful of them, and any time one of those guys gets that huge monkey off their back, I think it makes it a poignant Major Championship."
