Twelve months on and the West Australian has gained an immeasurable amount of experience playing the game somewhat nomadically for a living against the best in the world. He's played at The Masters as the US Amateur champion, he's had time in Europe and most recently he had multiple starts on the PGA and Web.com Tours, which netted him conditional status on the secondary tour next year.

“This year was interesting, very different year to my last what, four as an amateur,” Luck said. “Obviously, I started off playing on the European Tour early this year in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Malaysia, down in Perth, which was great fun and great experience, and then heading over to the US later in February, that was obviously, for me, the really big goal was to achieve some cool things over there.”

The 21-year-old has now turned his attention to his home events after an extended break before again jetting off to the states, where he has setup a base in Florida, for the final stage of Web.com Q School. In an attempt to improve his status and earn more starts.

“…Now that I’ve had five weeks back home, up until till now, it’s just been great, I’ve been able to obviously be at home, steal some food off my parents, get to see my coach and friends and all that obviously contributes to feeling good this week and yeah, I’m raring’ to go,” he said.

Luck was Jordan Spieth's main challenger early at the 2016 Australian Open. PHOTO: Getty Images/Matt King

The former US Amateur champion acknowledged a small dose of home sickness during his maiden year as a professional. And his up and down play throughout the year is just the latest example of the adjustment required from being the big fish in the little amateur pond to becoming one of the smallest in the enormous waters that are professional golf.

Luck was inconsistent at times and the lack of a set schedule and the reliance on invites to get starts wore down the typically upbeat Australian.

“This year and it looks like potentially next year, my schedules aren’t too set, so the tough thing I found this year, I would feel like I had a bit of a break where I could work on the things I knew I needed to, and I’d get back to Orlando ready to start that process, and I’d be on the phone and back on a plane, because a start had come up somewhere else,” he said. “Which obviously has been so different to my last four years, where you sit down, almost years in advance, and know exactly what you want to play in as an amateur.”

Luck returned home in the middle of the year and returned to the US refreshed. Admitting the time at home was needed and is something he plans to do regularly going forward. A decision that bodes well for Australian golf fans hoping to continually see him tee it up in his home country in the future.

As he tackles The Australian this week looking to repeat his form of 2016 where he was the breakout star of the tournament, Luck will have a caddie on the bag who knows the life of the travelling golfer all too well. And who might just give the West Australian a strategic advantage around the Jack Nicklaus design.

A former amateur standout himself, Golf Australia’s own Michael Clayton will carry the tools for Luck this week. With the former Tour pro and now course designer a late call up to the job. With his renowned quick wit one of the qualities that attracted Luck to him when offering the temporary position.

The West Australian will have a new man on the bag this week at The Australian. PHOTO: Getty Images/Patrick Images

“Clayts has been great so far,” Luck said. “Obviously, I’ve known Clayts probably for a good part of four years I’d say now, and it was interesting, when I was at home the last couple of weeks I was trying to figure out who I’d have caddy and I thought, I know Clayts is usually around this event and he’s obviously extremely funny to have on the bag out there, so I thought who better than the man himself.

“He said yes thankfully, it’s like getting married. We’ve had a lot of fun the last couple of days and I’m really excited to get out there Thursday with him.”

Clayton and Luck might make for an odd pair from the outside looking in but there is nothing odd about a young star of the future seeking the advice of someone more experienced. And their combination of youth and experience could prove to be the winning combination come Sunday in Sydney, with Luck mentioning just how much words from the more experienced Geoff Ogilvy and Jordan Spieth helped him on his way to contending for the title last year.

“I was playing with Mr Ogilvy … I was very nervous, but he said some pretty kind things on the first tee which got me feeling a bit more comfortable, and playing with Spieth, also a really nice guy, they settled me into the groove pretty quickly out there. So yeah, I’m just really excited to get this week underway, yeah.”