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New Zealand golfer Michael Campbell believes Augusta National owes him as he seeks to end a seven-year US Masters hoodoo.
Campbell will tee-up in this year's 72nd Masters without out any momentum, having played just nine rounds of golf this year in four events.
Since placing 70th in
January's Qatar Masters, the Wellingtonian has missed the cut in the Dubai Desert Classic, withdrew after one round of the Malaysian Open and pulled out on the eve with injury from the New Orleans Classic.
Last week he was cut from the last two days of the Houston Open.
Campbell has missed the halfway cut in each of his seven Masters appearances, leaving him with the worst Augusta record of anyone in the field this week.
Only Australia's Peter Lonard, who has missed the cut in all his four starts and Japan's Toru Taniguchi, who missed the cut in 2002 and 2003, come close to Campbell.
"I've come to Augusta having gone through a really rough time these past few months and I'll be teeing up on a course this week that's still to be kind to me," Campbell said.
"So this course owes me but I just have to be patient through this rough period I'm going through.
"I've worked very hard on my game for the last few weeks so hopefully that work will finally start to pay off this week because there's nothing better I'd like to be finally playing four rounds here at Augusta.
"I intend to just to enjoy the moment and enjoy being here and just enjoy playing Augusta.
"I've just got to put all this indifferent form behind me and focus on the future and it will be fine."
Coach Jonathon Yarwood has been by Campell's side throughout the week and caddied for him in the Wednesday afternoon par-three contest.
Yarwood has seen the good and the bad of Campbell but believes the 2005 US Open champion will soon shake the shackles of this latest bout of disappointing form.
"Cambo's hurting pretty bad inside at present," Yarwood said.
"But I've been with Cambo a long time now and something I've learnt is that he's a fighter. He's had downturns in form before and some worst than this current spell.
"He'll come out of this is just like he did back in '05. Who knows, he could win another Major and once again Cambo will be unstoppable.
"It's just a matter of him staying patient. His game is pretty sound and there hasn't been much we have had to work on this week. It's just been finetuning.
"We'd all love to see him make the cut here and I feel he can do that this week despite what the Augusta record books say."
Campbell was heartened to receive a forgiving 9.09am tee time and to be playing alongside two players he was comfortable with - American Scott Verplank and Australian Robert Allenby.
- NZPA