Smylie’ Kaufman insists he will not be overawed facing defending champ Rory McIlroy in this week’s Dell Match-Play Championship in Austin, Texas.

The 22-year old Alabama-born Kaufman is making his debut in the event and has found  him in the same group and faces McIlroy on Friday in the last of the three group matches.

Also in McIlroy and Kaufman’s group is American Kevin Na and Dane Thorbjorn Olesen.

Kaufman’s first name is Carter and with his middle name Smylie and named after his grand-mother’s cousin Smylie Gebhart a famed Georgia-born college American football star.

Smylie Kaufman excited to be facing Rory McIlroy in Austin, Texas. (Photo -golfweek.com)

A year ago Kaufman was playing on the secondary Web.Com Tour and last November won a maiden event on the PGA Tour to stake his place in this week’s field, and also an invitation to play in next fortnight’s Masters.

“I’m excited that I will be facing Rory on Friday but then I was excited whoever I got in my bracket,” said Kaufman.

“It will be fun and it seems as I have been growing up that I’ve been watching for years what Rory’s been achieving out here, so I feel like I know his game well.

“I knew I was going to come up against a top player and whoever I was drawn against whether or not it’s Rory it’s just exciting to be playing against them.

“But then he’s just one player in the group and if I am to advance I will have to beat the other three guys or win my group, if I’m to advance.

“So just because I beat Rory doesn’t mean I will advance so it’s going to be a week of three days of patience and over-coming certain situations out there on the golf course.”

The exclusive Austin Country Club, located on the banks of the Colorado River in the Texas State capital, is very much a shrine to legendary Texas-born coach Harvey Penick who passed away just on 11-years ago.

Penick coached Ben Crenshaw to two Masters victories and one of Crenshaw’s gleaming Masters ‘clubhouse’ trophies along with a Ryder Cup replica is on display in the clubhouse.