Steven Bowditch has been energised ahead of his Texas Open defence by seeing American Matt Every bust out of a slump to defend the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Bowditch claimed his lone PGA Tour victory a year ago at TPC San Antonio in difficult, blustery conditions, holding on despite a final-round 76 to hoist the trophy in his adopted home state.
But since that breakthrough it's been relatively slim pickings for the 31-year-old Australian.
In 28 events, he has had just one top-10 finish and 13 missed cuts, including five on the trot prior to his tie for 62nd in Orlando last week.
Despite the lean times, Bowditch is confident he can turn things around and has pointed directly at American Every as proof.
Every, who won for the first time on tour a year ago at Bay Hill, had also been largely a non-factor since until outlasting world No.2 Henrik Stenson on Sunday to defend his title.
"Seeing Matt win last week gave me some good energy and confidence. It's great to see it is possible," Bowditch told AAP.
"He was able to get it done on a golf course that suits him and hopefully I can go out here, on this course I enjoy, and give myself a really good shot at being in contention on Sunday and doing it all again."
If Bowditch is successful, he'll be the first Australian to defend on tour since Geoff Ogilvy claimed back-to-back Tournament of Champions wins at Kapalua in 2009-10.
It would also be the first time reigning champs were successful again in successive weeks since 2007, when Jim Furyk defended in Canada and Tiger Woods defended the WGC Bridgestone and his PGA Championship immediately after.
Bowditch says playing with a guaranteed a tour card through to 2016 this season has had a completely different feel.
"It's been a good learning experience to play golf without a big weight on your shoulders but I have to learn to play with more urgency," he admits.
"The last four or five weeks missing cuts has shown me that I needed to learn to find the extra motivation and drive to get out there and compete every week rather than thinking 'it doesn't matter, there is always next week'."
Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley, Jarrod Lyle, Ogilvy and John Senden join Bowditch in San Antonio along with Matt Jones, who was third last week, and is within striking distance of a return to the Masters if he can produce another big finish.
Now 62nd in the world rankings Jones can get to Augusta if he can get inside the top 50 on the list this week or next, likely needing another top five result to have a chance.
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