Although he will not be in the field at Augusta next week, Nick Dougherty is looking forward to making fresh inroads on the world rankings this season.
The Liverpool-born golfer struggled for form last year as he struggled to come to terms with the sudden loss of his mother, who died of a heart attack shortly after he made his debut at the Masters.
Speaking to the Mirror, Dougherty admitted that the grief has had a negative impact on his golf, with the competitive atmosphere of the professional game making things particularly difficult.
"In hindsight I should have walked off, put my clubs away and got on with getting over it and the grieving process … But at the time I didn''t think it was an option," the 26-year-old said.
Commenting on his unsuccessful attempt to qualify for Nick Faldo''s Ryder Cup team, he added: "I was trying to make it for my mum and it became very emotional and it was horrible. It was so draining."
Dougherty is currently ranked 112th in the world and will have to sit out the Masters this year, although he has tipped compatriot Justin Rose for a big performance next week.
03/04/2009