Tiger Woods (2000), Tom Watson (1982), Lee Trevino (1971) and Ben Hogan (1953) are the only players since World War II to claim both trophies in a calendar year. No Englishman has ever achieved the feat.

Adding to the mountain the 27-year-old must climb to become the first, is the fact he prefers a whole list of courses ahead of St. Andrews’ Old Course.

“I'll be honest, back then (when he was a kid) I was blown away. It's like, wow, St. Andrews, the Old Course, it's incredible,” he said.

“That was when I was younger playing amateur golf, playing more links golf. That was kind of what we did in the UK was we played more links-style golf courses and you get used to that.

“But my personal favourite golf courses have always been regular par ones, tree-lined, Harbour Town, Augusta, Brookline, that style of golf.

“So, I've kind of grown out of enjoying links. I enjoy the challenge of it when it's windy and it's hard and you've got to grind. But if it's still and calm, I don't particularly enjoy playing that. When it's really hard, it's harder for everyone else. That's kind of why I enjoy the challenge more.”

U.S Open champion talks to the media ahead of his first practice round at St. Andrews. PHOTO: Getty Images.

The World No.10 even believes his game in the wind has got worse since turning professional eight years ago and points to his Open record with a best finish of T20 at Royal Portrush in 2019 as something he wants to rectify.

“I'll be honest, since I turned pro, obviously we play much less links golf. I feel like I've got worse in the wind since I turned pro. Not worse in the wind, worse in the links and wind. Other golf courses in wind, I've played fine.

“I feel like coming back here (to the UK) it's taken time just to get used to it and where to land it, how to fly it. We're not put under that test as regularly out in regular events because either there's no wind or it's softer and you can just fly it to a certain spot.

“Obviously I'd like to improve on my record, and I feel like I've obviously been playing much, much better since the last Open I played.”

In his favour is a victory on the Old Course … as a junior.

“I can't really remember it,” he smiled. “Yeah, there wasn't much atmosphere. There was literally my mum, dad, and our dog watching.

“It was like two-round stroke play. One round the Jubilee (Course) and one round the New. If you got qualified top 30, and then you came to play the Old Course, match play on the Old Course, yeah, it was just all match play.

“I've not played the golf course for a couple of years now. Obviously, when I've played, it's been in October so it's been soft, or softer. And right now it's very firm.

“Someone asked Billy (Foster, his caddie) today, what does he think the winning score is. And I'm like pretty oblivious with most golf history, and he was saying, I think Louis won on minus 15. Someone won on 18. Someone won on 16 or something. I was taken aback by how low the scores were, like I didn't think it would be that low.”

His shot at history begins on Thursday.