In-form Shane Lowry is hoping he can seize the moment as he bids to win his second Major title at the Masters Tournament.
The Irishman, who won the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, comes into the opening Major Championship of the season with good momentum, with two top tens across his last three competitive appearances.
Lowry also finished runner-up to Rory McIlroy at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, and appears optimistic about his chances to win the Green Jacket this week at Augusta National.
"I'm feeling good," he told reporters. "I'm in a good place. My game, mentally, physically, everything about it I'm feeling good. I'm excited for the week.
"I think my biggest thing this week is I need to lower my expectations a little bit and go out and play my game and see where it leaves me at the end of the week.
"Yes, I've been doing very well over the last while and I put myself in contention, but it doesn't give me any given right to go and do it this week.
"So I think it's just back to basics and just go after it Thursday morning and see what happens."
Two-time European Ryder Cup player Lowry has proven himself to be one of the fiercest competitors with an appetite for the biggest stages, and he knows he cannot shirk the limelight as a member of the world’s top 20.
Since his debut at Augusta in 2015, he has finished in the top 25 in four of the past five years, including in 2022 when he was tied third – five shots adrift of winner Scottie Scheffler.
"If you're lucky enough to put yourself in that position (to contend) there's no point shying away from it," he added.
"I have spent plenty of Masters Tournaments coming in here not in form, not playing well, and this is the year where I feel like I'm playing OK, and there's no point shying away from that.
"I need to go out there and just sort of take the bull by the horns and be myself and see where it leaves me on Sunday."
'If it's not me I hope it's him'
Good friend Rory McIlroy may be the subject of far greater pre-tournament attention amid his latest bid to complete the career Grand Slam, but Lowry insists that does not take away from his own efforts to mount a title challenge.
“I think you still have a lot of pressure on yourself,” he said.
“I've spent a lot of time around Rory over the last few years, coming into this week, and obviously there is a lot of pressure on him, but I think he's at a stage now where he's certainly able to handle it.
“He's won [almost] everything there is to win in golf. I wouldn't be surprised if he was to give it a run this week.
“I think there's a couple of players that if you finish ahead of them this week, you'll have a chance and he's one of them.”
Lowry will be joined by 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and American Major winner Bryson DeChambeau over the opening two rounds.
