Jason Day admits his nerves are rising with just two tournaments left to sharpen his game for the Masters, the title he covets most.
World No.3 Day tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando this week after a slow start to 2016, knowing former Masters champions like countryman Adam Scott, American Bubba Watson and South Africa's Charl Schwartzel have all found winning form heading toward Augusta National.
With stats showing only his putting, where he sits third on the tour, is keeping up with his usual high standards, the time to get his game in order is now.
"I'm nervous because The Masters is one tournament that I've always wanted to win, but I just can't get too far ahead of myself because I have to focus on this week," Day said.
"It would be good if I could can really get things going and start to play really well."
Day is down on his stellar 2015 stats in driving distance and accuracy, greens in regulation, strokes gained tee to green, ball-striking and sand saves.
"If there's one thing I'd like to improve upon over the next couple weeks it's really from tee to green, trying to improve that, hit more fairways, hit more greens," he said.
Day is still feeling the effects of his lengthy off-season break around the birth of his daughter Lucy, but has no regrets, wanting to be a big part of his children's lives after having a tough childhood himself.
The time off came right on the back of winning four tournaments in a six-event stretch, including his maiden major at the US PGA Championship.
"It hasn't been the greatest (start to the year). With the expectation of everyone and the expectation of myself thinking that I should be coming out here and contending and competing even after a three-month layoff, it's still pretty high," he said.
"I was hitting it a lot better last year but it's only early in the season and I've got two weeks in a row here that I can get things going.
"The motivation has always been there. I still want to be the best. I want to get back to No.1 but these things take time.
"It's not like you can click a button and it happens over night."
Day is joined in the field this week by Scott, who enters off back-to-back victories as well as Aaron Baddeley, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones and Ryan Ruffels in the Australian tilt.
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