Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai hopes to learn from last year's experience when he makes a return to the British Open later this month.
The 18-year-old qualified for the third major of the year by finishing second at the Singapore Open in January, which was part of the Open qualifying series, and is excited to tee it up against the elite field at Royal Birkdale.
Phachara, whose name means diamond in Thai, remembers his debut vividly when he opened with a solid 71 at Royal Troon.
He struggled in the cold and blustery conditions and returned with a second round 81 to miss the halfway cut.
After playing in the testing conditions, the young Thai believes he is better prepared when he heads to Royal Birkdale for the July 20-23 Open.
"I played in the last two groups and the weather was so bad on the second day. It was windy, raining and very cold. It was very bad. The back nine was very long and I was playing against the wind so it was very difficult," said Phachara.
"The first time I went there, the weather was very bad but now I know how the conditions are from the weather to the golf course. The weather keeps changing so I know that now. I think I will play better this year.
"I've never played in conditions like what I experienced last year. This year I will play in more European Tour events and the conditions are windy so I feel that I will play better now. You must practise hitting low ball flights to give yourself a chance."
Phachara is one of the most exciting talents to emerge from Thailand.
When he was 14, he won the Hua Hin Open as an amateur to become the youngest player to win a professional tournament in the world.
In the following year, he came into prominence when he won the 2015 PGM CCM Rahman Putra Championship to become the youngest Asian Development Tour winner at the age of 15.
Since then, Phachara has been close to winning his first Asian Tour title, finishing second in Singapore earlier this year and at the World Super 6 Perth.
Similar to last year, Phachara will head to the Open earlier to practice and get accustomed to the Royal Birkdale course and conditions.
"I went early to the Open last year and played four practice rounds but the weather was good! This year I will try to do the same. Hopefully I get a mixture of good and bad weather," he laughed.
Phachara might be surrounded by the stars of the game at the Open, but it is the strong family support which he will be relying on to motivate him to do well.
"My family will be there with me so it will be nice. I feel happy to watch the superstars in action because I get to learn from them. With my family with me, I also get home cooked Thai food in the house so I might invite some of the golfers for dinner," he smiled.
Indian representative
Two-time Asian Tour winner Shiv Kapur will fly the Indian flag at the British Open after topping the final qualifying earlier this week.
Kapur, who won his second Asian Tour title after a gap of 11 years at the Yeangder Heritage in April, carded rounds of one-under-par 71 and 65 to emerge top of the field at the Woburn course in England.
The Indian's two-day total of eight-under-par 136 was enough to see him finish ahead of English duo Toby Tree and Ian Poulter.
Only the top three players at each of the five venues in Britain claimed spots at the Open.
"It means a lot to get back into the championship. I have flown all the way from India to play in this qualifier, so that just shows you how much I want to play in the Open Championship. Growing up as a kid the Open Championship was the ultimate.
"I haven't played Royal Birkdale, and I haven't played the Open Championship since 2013 at Muirfield when I led during the first round. So I have very fond memories of that," said Kapur, who made a 4,167-mile round trip from his Delhi home in an attempt to qualify.
Kapur will be making his third appearance at the Open and will join other Asian Tour members -- Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, Phachara Khongwatmai and Prayad Marksaeng, South Koreans Wang Jeung-Hun, KT Kim, Chang Yi-Keun, Kim Gi-Whan and Song Young-Han, Australia's Scott Hend, South Africa's Jbe Kruger, and current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader David Lipsky of the US -- at Royal Birkdale.