Robert MacIntyre insists he is in it to win it at Augusta National after overcoming the nerves of a first appearance to make the cut on his Masters Tournament debut.
The Scotsman admitted he was shaking on the first tee on Thursday before he fired a 74 that was more than respectable in the challenging conditions on day one.
Softer conditions on day two led to better scoring and MacIntyre carded a 70 to get back to level par and keep himself right in contention with 36 holes to go in Georgia.
Since the first two editions of the Masters, Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979 is the only player to have won the Green Jacket on debut, but MacIntyre is not putting any limit on what he can achieve over the next two days.
"Yesterday the nerves, I was shaking on the first tee," he said. "It's normal here but I wanted to get right back in the golf tournament. I wasn't worried about anything other than getting back in the golf tournament. That's what I went and done.
.@robert1lefty makes the cut on his Masters debut. 🏴#TheMasters pic.twitter.com/VlvvkoRvi9
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 9, 2021
"I'm going to have a chance over the weekend if I can post a good one tomorrow."
The 24-year-old was in danger of missing the cut at three over stood on the 12th tee but he rattled off a hat-trick of birdies and then revealed he has had some help getting used to the layout at Augusta.
MacIntyre has struck up a friendship with 2018 champion Patrick Reed on the European Tour, while US-based fellow Scot Martin Laird has also been giving him tips.
I wanted to get right back in the golf tournament. I wasn't worried about anything other than getting back in the golf tournament.
"Patrick Reed, I'd done some work with him, and also Martin Laird," he said. "It was good to have those kind of guys to look up to and they respect me as much as I respect them. They can give me some advice when I ask for it.
"It's just little parts of it where, if you're out of position, where you can hit it and where you can't hit it. Sometimes short side is actually a good thing because you've got slope to use.
"It takes a while at this place, as everyone knows, and I feel like I'm starting to figure out where I can hit it and where I can't hit it.
"Obviously, different pin positions Saturday to Sunday, so it's going to be a different task when you're out of position."
