Twelve months ago, Darren Clarke shot an opening round six-under 66 to find himself leading the Masters.
He followed that with a 76 and 78 and closed with a 74 to end tied 28th.
The 35-year-old Ulsterman left Augusta National annoyed with himself but determined to get himself fighting fit.
He admitted that his lack of fitness and expansive stomach had cost him dearly.
Twelve months later, a lesser Clarke has returned to Augusta National — 15kg less to be exact.
New clubs and a new wardrobe for the meaner, leaner Clarke has convinced him that he can now challenge for all four days here instead of one.
”I think if you take the guys on the top of the world ranking, they are all very fit and that is something that eventually got into my head,” he explained.
Clarke’s regime involves two hours a day, six days a week in the gym and he has given up beer.
But Clarke accepts that it is going to be a lot more difficult to shoot a 66 this week.
”The course is hugely different from last year. It’s a lot firmer. The ball is running in the fairway, sometimes running off into the first cut, making it difficult to approach the green,” Clarke said.
”Putts are more difficult this year because the greens are firm and fast. It certainly makes it more difficult this way.
”Everyone is going to have a three-putt because it is so difficult. I know these past few years the winners usually don’t have that many three-putts but this year I think everyone is going to have them. There are a few scary pin positions. It’s a very difficult challenge.”
Clarke is banking on his experience around the Augusta National to give him a chance to win his first major.
In six outings there, his best finish is eighth in 1998.
”Not too many people have ever won the Masters in their first outing,” said Clarke.
”It takes time to know where to hit your approaches, what side of the pin to miss on. You have got to figure out where you can get up and down from.
”There are certain putts you can have a go and some you can’t. There’s a pin back right on 17 that unless you’ve been there and putted off the green like I have done before you’re not really aware of how quick it is, how fast it is when you get up on top,” he added. — Sapa-AFP