At 18, Irish amateur Rory McIlroy is the youngest player taking part in the Open at Carnoustie.
But he is still old enough to remember what he was doing the last time the championship was at the course in 1999 - playing golf.
'I was at the junior world championship in San Diego. I finished fifth,' said the teenager, who qualified for this week by winning last year's European amateur title in Italy.
Recalling his exploits eight years ago, he said: 'It was a holiday with golf thrown in and we watched the end of the Open in the pro shop there. I remember Jean Van de Velde and stuff and then (Paul) Lawrie making his two birdies to win.'
McIlroy, from Holywood in County Down, has been a star in the making for a long while, taking up the game at two and starting to play tournaments when he was seven.
He is expected to turn professional after the Walker Cup at Royal County Down in September and the atmosphere this week will be great preparation for that.
Paired with Ryder Cup pair Henrik Stenson and Miguel Angel Jimenez in the first two rounds McIlroy, who two years ago carded an amazing 61 at Royal Portrush, added: 'I will be pretty nervous on the first tee, but I feel very comfortable in the surroundings and just want to enjoy it.
'I'm playing well enough to make the halfway cut and the silver medal (for leading amateur providing they play 72 holes) is a great goal for me.'
Nick Faldo was among his practice partners this week, but only for four holes. 'It started raining and he went in. Today it was Trevor Immelman and Niclas Fasth. They're both great players, but what you learn is that they don't hit the ball better than you, it's about scoring.
'But I have a lot of experience for an 18-year-old.' He made the cut in the Dubai Desert Classic in February, but failed to make it through both at the Portuguese and Spanish Opens.
Asked what was the most nervous he has been in his career so far McIlroy, part of the Irish side that became European champions last month, said it was as he entered the closing stretch of the European Amateur, knowing an Open place was up for grabs.
He then birdied three of the last four.
