Shane Lowry feels he's arriving at the Masters for the first time with the wind at his back. 

The reigning Open champion finished tied for 11th at last week's Houston Open, seven-shots off the eventual winner in Texas, Carlos Ortiz.

A tie for 39th in 2016 has been Lowry's best showing at Augusta so far, with his other three previous visits all seeing him miss the cut.

But Lowry feels things are different this time around, "I had a good week last week, and I felt like I played OK at Wentworth and in Vegas.

"I feel like my golf is in a decent place.

"Coming back to Augusta, it's my favourite place in the world to play golf, without doubt, but it's somewhere that I've never had very much success.

"It is my fifth Masters, and I don't think I've ever shot too many good rounds around here.

"I'm hoping the time of year changes my luck around here. [I'm] probably coming in with a bit more form than I've ever really had.

"I'm hopeful for the week ahead. I do feel like my game is in a good place, I played nine holes yesterday, I feel like the course is great.

"We're going to get a bit of rain which everybody is going to say is going to suit me, but we'll just have to wait and see.

"But yeah I do feel my game is in a good place after a decent week last week at Houston."

While Augusta may be his favourite place to play, there's no doubting Lowry has struggled in the past.

But with an autumnal Masters and no banks of baying patrons to factor in, perhaps a glimmer of hope.

Some adjustments tee-to-green, and Lowry feels he could be in a position to become the first Irishman to wear the green jacket.

"I've never driven the ball well around here, and that's kind of strange," he told his pre-tournament press conference.

"And I've struggled on the greens in the past, so it's a bit of both.

"But I don't think I've ever come in with any form. Coming in in April I'm always coming off the back of the World Match Play, and Houston before and I've never really done that well there.

"I've never really come in with much form in here, and I feel like I'm playing OK coming in this week.

"All I can do is really try and prepare as best I can the next couple of days, and go out there and Thursday and just be aggressive and just be smart as well.

"I've never played the par-5's well around here. And anybody that knows Augusta knows you have to play the par-5's well to shoot a decent score.

"I kind of have my eye a little bit on those this week, and hopefully I can get out there on Thursday and get off to a good start and you never know what could happen then."

He'll have some experienced company for the first two rounds at least.

Lowry's been grouped with five-time and defending champion Tiger Woods and US Amateur champion Andy Ogletree.

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