After signing off on a stellar amateur career at the Masters, Curtis Luck is eager to kick off life in the professional ranks at the US PGA Tour's Valero Texas Open.
The 20-year-old put together a decorated international resume on golf's unpaid circuit, highlighted by wins at the 2016 US Amateur and Asia Pacific Amateur championship before spending the month leading into the Masters ranked as the amateur world No.1.
Luck's US Amateur status secured his ticket to the year's first major championship, where he made the cut on debut en route to a respectable finish in 46th place.
The laid-back Perth native says spending the past six months playing only professional events has prepared him for his pro debut at TPC San Antonio, starting Friday AEST.
"I guess there's added pressure to perform; I'm now trying to make a living (from golf)," said Luck.
"But I haven't played an amateur event since October. I feel like I've been a professional for a while, I just haven't been able to cash a cheque."
Luck is no stranger to pro events, having won the 2016 Western Australian Open while still an amateur before finishing 11th at the Australian Open in November and 23rd at the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic in February.
And with strong, Texas winds forecast for San Antonio this week, Luck says a lifetime of playing in the breeze on Australia's West Coast affords him a handy advantage.
"It's an interesting golf course; It's quite Australian in a sense, it plays firm and fast and I know it's notoriously windy ," said Luck.
"Fortunately, I've grown up in Perth and that's extremely windy place, so this feels like home. My game suits these conditions."
Luck is joined by fellow Australians Steven Bowditch, who won this event in 2014, as well as youngster Cameron Smith, veterans John Senden, Cameron Percy, Greg Chalmers, Aaron Baddeley, Geoff Ogilvy and Matt Jones, as well as Brett Drewitt.
Also in the field at TPC San Antonio is defending Texas Open champion Charley Hoffman, who led the first two rounds at the Masters, as well as two-time major winners Angel Cabrera and Zach Johnson.
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