After letting himself get caught up in the craziness and the ‘wow factor’ of a year ago Russell Knox has learned from his mistakes vowing it will all change at this week’s Masters at Augusta National.

Firstly, it means renting a house with not near as many house guests, listening more to former Masters winner Sandy Lyle and concentrating harder on his game and not being overawed by the occasion.

Russell Knox is determined to learn by his Masters mistakes of a year ago. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)

Knox promised so much on debut a year ago teeing-up at the reigning WGC – HSBC champion but the Scot never recovered from a shock opening day 79 that included taking a triple bogey ‘7’ at the last.

He then set about the task of clawing his way inside the top 50, and the hope of playing over the weekend, but had the Augusta carpet again Knox did birdie three holes in succession from the 13th but a second round 73 was three shots shy of making the cut.

“I felt I should have made the cut last year but, at the same time, when it’s your first one you are so excited to be there that it’s almost impossible to do well,” he said.

“There’s just so much hype and all sorts of things that you are excited about experiencing for the first time. We rented a house and had way too many people staying there. It was just a crazy week.

“Apart from missing the cut, though, I wouldn’t have changed anything about it as it was a great first experience.  But then in saying that this year is going to be a lot different”.

Knox has rented a house for his wife and his parents, who are for much of the year, out on Tour with the Scot.

He has already spoken with Lyle, winner of the 1987 Masters, to organise a practice round and he’s vowed to listen more to wife, Andrea and those he’s got employed working for ‘Team Knox’.

“I will play a practice round with Sandy Lyle again as we played together in Jacksonville recently and it will be nice to get another round with him,. However, I won’t be over-prepared.”

“I have surrounded myself with very positive people. There are so many hard times when you play professional golf and we’ve all been through them. You need to surround yourself with people who are always positive and thinking ahead.

“My wife is great with that. She is extremely positive. I also have a few coaches who help me out with the mental side of my game. It’s definitely a team effort. Sometimes I can get down on myself too much so it is nice to have people around me to stop that.”

On course, Knox knows he needs to putt better at Augusta if he’s ever to join Lyle and the Masters Champions Dinner.

“My scores in last year’s event were worse than I played,” he said.  “I’ve gone over my rounds since then and I’m like, man, apart from a couple of brain farts, I struck the ball beautifully.

“I was really happy how I played from tee to green. I putted atrociously and had a couple of moments where I lost concentration. I ended up missing the cut by three shots and I made two triple bogeys.  I might make two triple bogeys in a whole year and both times I had a pitching wedge in my hand from the middle of the fairway. I was too aggressive at times.

Russell Knox and by far his No. 1 supporter and gold plated asset – wife, Andrea.

“And what I learned from last year is that I need to go there and putt better, first and foremost. I also need to realise that if I am in a good position, I have to make sure that bogey is going to be my worst score.

“There’s so many shots at so many holes where you think you’ve hit a good shot but it just catches a slope and you are in trouble. But that’s what makes it such a great test.

“There’s also a very fine line between contending and missing the cut. Every round you player there you definitely feel you are learning a little bit more about the course.

“I just have to keep learning and begin to feel more comfortable about the course.”