Mark Wilson feels his determination to improve on a poor 2010 season has been the driving force behind his superb start to this year.
American aiming to maintain blistering early season form
Mark Wilson believes his determination to improve on a disappointing 2010 season has been the driving force behind his spectacular start to this year.
The 35-year-old currently sits atop the FedEx Cup standings after two wins in his first three outings in 2011 at the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Waste Management Phoenix Open earlier this month.
Those victories have banished memories of what proved a fallow 2010 as the Illinois native finished 123rd on the money-list.
Wilson will look to maintain his blistering form at this week's Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club and insisted his poor form meant he could not wait to get his new season underway.
"The thing that stands out is that I was really excited to get started for the year, and that's very rare for me," he explained.
"I really like being home and I really enjoyed November and December, and maybe it was because I didn't have a great year last year.
"I finished 123rd on the money list and I was just really anxious to do better.
"It was the first year since 2007 really, or since 2008, where I felt like I could easily beat my performances from the year before.
"The other years, 2007, 2008 and 2009 I had good years, so to have to back those up was always a challenge, whereas this year I could blow 2010 out easily. So I was really anxious to get going.
"I had all my gear all packed up a couple days after Christmas and we weren't leaving for Palm Springs until January 10th.
"So I think that was the thing, that I was anxious to get going, to play golf, and when it's fun your scores seem to be better."
Star names
Former world number one Tiger Woods will not be amongst a field that contains 12 of the world's top 20 players, but Phil Mickelson is being tipped by many as a potential winner after finishing in a tie for ninth at Pebble Beach.
But Wilson is not worried by the other names on show, insisting he will be focusing on his own game as he looks to prolong the hottest streak of his career.
"Anyone can win, really," he added. "You never know. You can't try to beat a player. I mean, there's no defence in golf.
"You just play the golf course and do the best you can. I'm trying to birdie every hole I play. That doesn't mean I'm firing at every pin, I'm just thinking strategically through the course.
"That may mean hitting a five-iron 40 feet from the hole and trying to make the 40-foot putt. It might mean hitting a wedge close and making a putt.
"I'm out there just trying to shoot the best score I can and seeing how that shapes up with the field at the end of the week."
