Rod Pampling hopes returning to the site of his drought-breaking US PGA Tour victory in Las Vegas can reignite his competitive spark after admitting to taking his foot off the pedal in 2017.
The Australian veteran snared an unlikely win, holding out big-hitting American youngster Brooks Koepka, as a 47-year-old world No.451 at last year's Shriners Hospitals Open.
The US$1.152 million ($1.5 million) payday ended a 10-year winless drought on the US Tour and earned a golden ticket to golf's premier events this year, including the Masters at Augusta National.
But with the comfort of an exemption on the lucrative circuit through to 2019, the Queenslander admits to somewhat letting his hair down.
Other than a tie for 17th at the 30-man Tournament of Champions in Hawaii in January, Pampling failed to register a top-25 result for the remainder of the season.
"I probably took it a bit easy after the win, so I picked up the workload towards the end of the year. The results weren't as good as I would have liked, but it wasn't a bad season. I certainly want to be better," Pampling told AAP.
However, the 48-year-old's respectable season saw him make 13 cuts from 22 events and advance to the second event of the FedEx Cup play-offs series.
Arriving at TPC Summerlin almost one week before his title defence gets underway on Friday AEST is a move world No.235 Pampling hopes will inspire his best golf.
Last year, he opened the event with a course record-equalling 11-under-par 60 en route to a two-shot triumph over eventual US Open champion Koepka.
"The fact you've won shows you can play at that level, but when you walk around the course you've got proof you can beat these guys," said Pampling.
"My number one goal this week is to defend my title and my game doesn't feel far away at all from being really good."
Joining Pampling in Las Vegas are fellow Australians Aaron Baddeley, Greg Chalmers, Matt Jones and Geoff Ogilvy.
Notable American golfers include former US Open winner Webb Simpson, long-hitter Tony Finau, Charley Hoffman, Kevin Chappell, Kevin Na and Gary Woodland.
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