Matt Jones will lead out the Australian contingent at the 143rd British Open confident his breakthrough season can continue at the highest level.
The New South Welshman is the first of eight Australians to tee off at Royal Liverpool in Thursday's opening round, beginning alongside England's Chris Wood and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger at 6.47am local time (1547 AEST).
Jones notched the first US PGA Tour win of his career earlier this year, beating Matt Kuchar in a playoff to win the Houston Open and break into the world's top 50, but he's yet to make any impact at the majors.
The 34-year-old has made the cut just once in five major starts, finishing tied for 40th at last year's PGA Championship.
Jones is making his British Open debut this year but says the lasting effects of his maiden-tour win have him confident of proving himself on golf's biggest stage.
"It's given me confidence to know I can win," Jones said.
"I'm expecting to play well, that's what we're here for, and my game's in good shape.
"I've just got to get the short game going around this course and we'll be fine."
The tournament is expected to begin in cool and calm conditions but Jones said there were no guarantees an early start would give him any sort of edge.
"It doesn't always mean that around here. It's quite unpredictable," said Jones, who finished 78th at last week's Scottish Open in Aberdeen.
"It's going to be a battle out there."
Another earlier starter is Marc Leishman, will who play in the group behind Jones.
Leishman has proven he can get in the mix at big tournaments, finishing tied fourth at the 2013 US Masters, but hasn't finished higher than 60th in three British Opens.
"Sometimes a good score at the Open might be three or four-over and the last few years I've learned that," Leishman said.
"I've let things get away a little but I need to not do that this year."
Brett Rumford and rank outsider Rhein Gibson are other Australians with morning starts, while big guns Adam Scott and Jason Day will begin their rounds in the afternoon.
Day tees off at 1.38pm (2238 AEST) alongside major winners Martin Kaymer and Zach Johnson.
Scott, equal tournament favourite with Rory McIlroy, starts at 2.27pm (2327 AEST) in another heavyweight group featuring Jason Dufner and Justin Rose.
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