Michael Campbell filled the Tiger Woods role at The Open on Monday morning, teeing off at 6.45am and finishing his practice round before most spectators were even at Royal Birkdale.
"I can see why he does it," said Campbell, who came off the final green just before 11 o'clock.
"There was nobody around the first tee at all and even now it's quiet and peaceful."
The only obstacle to his progress, in fact, was an articulated lorry reversing across the 18th hole in front of him as he went to hit his tee shot there.
Rather than waiting for it to get out of the way, though, the New Zealander blasted a drive over the top and into the perfect position on the fairway.
Winner of the US Open three years ago - he pushed Woods into second place at Pinehurst - Campbell would appear to be at another crisis point in his fluctuating career after missing his last six cuts and nine of the last 10.
But the 39-year-old commented: "It's like water off a duck's back to me. Ever since I was a schoolboy I've gone through big ups and downs.
"I know other players in my position would be panicking and might even give up, but with me it can turn right round in one week. That's how it's always been."
Campbell finished fifth at St Andrews only a month after his US Open victory, but his best Open remains 1995, also at the Home of Golf, when he led by two with a round to go and missed out on the play-off between John Daly and Costantino Rocca by just a single stroke.
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