Shane Lowry is backing himself to contend for glory at Augusta if he can perform at his best.
The Offaly man is going into a Masters week for the 11th time in his career and will be hoping to emulate what his close friend Rory McIlroy achieved last year in winning the tournament.
Lowry will be the first of the Irish in action, teeing off his first round at 2.43pm alongside fellow major winners, the 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson and Australian Jason Day.
On whether he can join the winners circle alongside illustrious names like McIlroy and Johnson, Lowry told RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen that the possibility is there.
"It's a golf course and it's a field of amazing golfers. I think if I play my best stuff, yes I can give it a run around here, there's no doubt," he said.
"I kind of showed that a little bit last year and in 2022, and then when it comes down to it, you have to go around the back nine on Sunday and do some really good stuff.
"I do feel I have what it takes. But does that mean I will win? No.
"But do I have belief I can give it a run around here? Yeah obviously."
Lowry explained that the nature of Augusta means a level head will serve him best.
"It's a golf course where the margins are really, really small, where good shots can get really punished," he said.
"You don't get away with too many bad shots so there's just a lot of patience but there's also a lot of acceptance that needs to go on and happen this week. I think I'm ready to give it a go."
And if it were to happen, the elements in the dream scenario are quite clear for Lowry.
"I'd love to be coming back here forever. I'd love to be 70-years-of-age, sitting out with Rory having that drink," he said.
"We've talked about that. I'd love to be that person, love to be going to the champions' dinner forever.
"There's a lot that comes with it and you try not to think about it too much. I've always said I'd like to be the first Irishman to win a green jacket.
"But that obviously can't be the case anymore, so the second would be pretty nice."
Lowry's season so far has seen him suffer near misses at the Dubai Invitational and then painfully at the Cognizant Classic.
In hindsight, he felt a short break could have made a difference after the latter tournament.
"I felt like the season was going really well up to 16 holes at Cognizant and then it was a disaster from there for the last three holes," said the 39-year-old.
"If I'm being completely honest, straight into Bay Hill, I felt like Thursday at Bay Hill came around very quickly.
"And before you know it, you're at the Players (Championship). It's another huge week and I didn't cope with it very well that week either.
"I probably could have done with a week off after that Cognizant to kind of let the dust settle and get back on the horse.
"I felt like the week off after the Players and into Houston served me well. I felt like I played really well in Houston.
"Houston is not a golf course that suits my game at all. It's a course I don't think I can win around. It's funny, you put yourself into a PGA Tour field and the majority of courses I feel I can win around, whereas that course is just for the long hitters and I think that will always be the case for that.
"So I think I put in a good performance and then practice is going well the last few weeks. It's been a decent enough season so far.
"Obviously, I could be standing here with two wins, could be standing here having a bit of a different conversation. But whatever happened on that Sunday at Cognizant, if I get the chance again, hopefully I've learned something from that."
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