Jason Day has declared the fire is back in his belly as he attempts to back his excellent US Open record with a victory amid forecast stormy conditions.
World No.3 Day leads the Australian contingent at Wisconsin's Erin Hills and, while five is the lowest number of Australians at the Open in 16 years, they aren't lacking in intensity.
Day is hungry to lift the trophy on Sunday after five US Open top-10 finishes from six starts, including being runner-up in 2011 and 2013.
The 10-time US PGA Tour winner is also walking tall after coupling solid results in his last two events - a runner-up at the Byron Nelson Classic and a 15th at the Memorial Tournament, his best finish in his home state event.
Day admitted to a lack of motivation to practise early in 2017 while dealing with the emotional stress of mother Dening's lung cancer diagnosis and surgery, leading him to surrender his 47-week reign as world No.1 to Dustin Johnson.
""Yeah, it has (returned). When I'm practising hard and working to gain something, it definitely brings the fire back because I know (a win) is close," Day told AAP.
"I think I've been doing the right things to get the results I've had at US Opens. I just have to be patient ... I know it's going to happen."
Matching Day's determination is countryman Adam Scott, who says being in the hunt on Sunday at the Masters en route to a tie for ninth whet his major championship appetite.
"It (had) been a little while since I'd really been in contention in a major. Now, I'm excited to get myself back in that position," world No.12 Scott said.
"That's my challenge for the first three rounds this week and I feel like I'm really in a good place to contend here."
Victorian native Marc Leishman is also fired up after turning the tide in his weakest major championship last year.
Leishman hadn't bagged a top-20 at the US Open until finishing in a share of 18th at Oakmont.
"It's always been a tough major for me but, of all the US Opens I've played, Erin Hills is my favourite course. It really suits my eye and my game. Last year's finish definitely gives me confidence, as well," said Leishman.
The 33-year-old enters the 117th US Open as the most in-form Australian, with a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March among three top-10s and nine top-25s from 15 events.
Showers and storms have been forecast throughout the four days of the Open starting Thursday.
Rounding out the Australian quintet are Novocastrian Nick Flanagan and Adelaide's Wade Ormsby, who both fought through cut-throat sectional qualifiers.
The 2003 US Amateur champion, Flanagan hasn't played in any of golf's four big dances since the 2005 British Open, while 37-year-old Ormsby makes his major championship debut after 16 years as a pro golfer.
"I thought I might never get to contest a major, so to be at a US Open I'm proud I never gave up," said Ormsby.
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