Matt Fitzpatrick is confident he is equipped to win his second Major Championship as he bids to ride a wave of momentum at The Open.
The Englishman arrives at Royal Birkdale as one of the most in-form players in the world after a third top-five finish in his last four starts woldwide at the Genesis Scottish Open last week.
The result has lifted Fitzpatrick to a career-high third in the Official World Golf Ranking, prompting belief - both internally and externally - that he can add a Claret Jug to his U.S. Open trophy in 2022.
A three-time winner on the PGA TOUR this season, including once alongside his brother Alex, the 31-year-old is in no doubt that there could yet be more success this week on home soil.
"I'm definitely playing better," he said when asked how he compared himself as a player to the one that won his first Major at The Country Club.
"Different style of play, I would say. That's the big thing.
"Hopefully I've not peaked yet obviously, but I just think I'm doing a lot of good stuff this year.
"Short game's been really, really good, and so has my irons.
"That's a first for me. My irons have never really been a strength. I've had good seasons but never really taken advantage of that, I don't feel like; whereas now I feel like I've got that.
"I think sort of the level of experience and maturity I have, I guess, with playing and being in these situations is obviously much better now, even than before 2022.
"So I think that's obviously a big help as well.
"I think there's always room for improvement. There's areas that I'm looking at last week, why didn't I do that? Why didn't I do this? You're always trying to find those small gains."
Like many of the world's best, Fitzpatrick warmed up for The Open Championship by competing over the links style layout at The Renaissance Club.
In the mix to win a third Rolex Series title at the weather-affected Genesis Scottish Open before finishing tied third, he intends to manage his workload during the practice days.
"A lot of this year, certainly since I started playing well, first win at Valspar, since then has really been about kind of managing my energy as best I can and obviously maintaining the form as best I can," he explained.
"I think that's come with much lighter Monday to Wednesdays than I've had previously in my career really.
"I think the big thing with that is that you're trying to do the bare minimum that's going to give you the biggest impact of maybe keeping or maintaining your game as well as just trying to get a little bit of improvement, particularly as the season goes on and it becomes longer.
"You get yourself in contention a few more times, and that takes it out of you."
Fitzpatrick is set for his 11th Open appearance, and second at Royal Birkdale having finished tied 44th in 2017.
While a different examination awaits after major renovations to the Southport layout in recent years, he has previously spoken openly about wanting the toughest test possible at a Major and the heatwaves experienced in Europe in recent weeks means the course is set to play firm and fast.
"I've been coming here for probably the last two, three years, I think, just before the Scottish Open and The Open," he said.
"I've played here a little bit, so I feel at least somewhat comfortable knowing the holes and just getting that comfortability with different shots you're faced with.
"When we played a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised at how green it was but how firm it was."
Away from golf, anticipation is also building towards another significant sporting occassion as England prepare to play Argentina in the semi-finals of the men's football World Cup on Wednesday.
Fitzpatrick, a big fan of English Championship club Sheffield United, should have no reason to miss out on the game after being drawn among the afternoon wave for Thursday's first round alongside Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele.
Speaking prior to the announcement of the tee times for the first two rounds, he said: "It would be nice if all the English lads were late/early. That would be great.
"Obviously a long day yesterday [at the Genesis Scottish Open]. My plan was anyway to have a light Monday. It was probably a little bit lighter than planned.
"I won't go and play any holes. I've done a bit of putting and hitting already today and kind of just do some recovery after this and take it easy."
