"If I'm on that 10th tee with a chance to win the Masters on Sunday, I'd certainly be ready for it."
There was a steely glint to Shane Lowry's pronouncement as he reflected on his encouraging recent form with RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen ahead of his 10th tilt at Augusta's magical major.
"There's no doubt about that but it's getting there is the big thing the next four or five days," the Offaly native added as he completed that initial thought.
"I feel like I've been around long enough and I've done enough in the game to be ready for any situation this week. So we'll just have to see what it gives you.
"Golf, it's a funny game, it's a fickle game and you never know what's around the corner and I think if I go out with that attitude, I can do some nice things this week."
The 2019 Open champion goes into Thursday's first round, where he is grouped with Bryson DeChambeau and Hideki Matsuyama, on a crest of a wave following a runner-up finish, three top tens and five top 25s from the seven PGA Tour events he has played this season.
It has left him in a healthy 14th position in the FedEx Cup standings and quietly confident going into the Masters.
"Obviously, you'd like a win under your belt coming in here. I can think of other golfers who are in better form than me," the world number 13 said, also acknowledging how special it would be for those watching back home in Ireland if he and/or Rory McIlroy were duking it out come Sunday.
"But I'm probably as in good form as I've been in this time of year. If you look at my FedEx Cup ranking, it's probably the best it's ever been coming in here.
"I feel good. My game is good, I feel like I've had some good preparation and it's obviously a very special week and a week that I want to play really well.
"But just because of what's gone on the last few weeks or how I've played this year doesn't give me a god given right to go play well.
"I just need to get back to my basics and just do my thing and give it my best shot."
Lowry's best showing around Augusta remains finishing tied for third in 2022. Up to then, he had never mastered the Masters but that result has given him a sense of focus about where he can start making marginal gains.
"I think I just need to play the par-5s a little bit better and I can do something really nice this week," he said, adding that most aspects of his game have been feeling in fine fettle.
"It's exciting coming here in good form, playing in the Masters. It's my 10th Masters, I'm feeling old but it's good."
On the quip of "feeling old", he clarified: "I know people will laugh and go, 'Thirty-eight is not old - I just turned 38 last week - and it's not old.
"But in this game, I've been on tour, this is my 17th season as a pro, I've been around a long time and you do have little doubts in your head every now and then that you have all these young kids coming up and hitting it miles, and I know I'm not short but just trying to be myself and doing my own thing.
"At the start of ever year, you do have a bit of apprehension about what could be during that season and this season it's always nice to get off to a good start because you feel like you cement your place on tour and in the game and you feel like mentally you can kick on for the rest of the year.
"But I'm not stupid enough to think that I'm not getting older but I'm probably looking after myself better than I ever have and I'm working probably harder than I ever have. So it's certainly paying off."
