Ernie Els admits he is taking a gamble by going to next week's Open Championship "rusty" after a three-week lay-off.
Els has not played since finishing a frustrated 14th at the US Open but is hoping the much-needed break will be worth the risk as he seeks a third Barclays Scottish Open title at Loch Lomond ahead of the Open at Royal Birkdale.
"That's the gamble you take," admitted the world number six, a winner here in 2000 and 2003 and third last year. "I had a three-week break in my schedule and it's been nice spending some time at home with the kids.
"Hopefully I'll be ready to play, I did a bit of work over the last couple of days. My confidence isn't that high but hopefully I can start building again.
"My game's been a little bit dicey to say the least. I had a much better run at the US Open but unfortunately didn't putt very well there.
"Since then I've had three weeks off so the game's got a bit of rust on it but I've had a good run here. I've won twice and had some close finishes in the past. I feel it's a good golf course for my game and I feel refreshed.
"We've got a big run coming up with the Open and then one week off before going into a busy run right through until September, so I felt like I need a break before this one."
Els also used his time off to get in an early practice round at Birkdale last week and feels it will make a "wonderful venue" for the Open, 10 years since Mark O'Meara won there in a play-off with Brian Watts.
"It's very lush, very soft, you could almost see ball marks in the fairways," added the South African, winner at Muirfield in 2002. "There's a lot of rough so if you're going to hit it wide, you might as well not turn up because you're not going to score.
"At the same time it's very fair and I think the fairways are the way the club members play them, the rough is just a little heavier. I think that's the way it should be.
"They have not tricked it up at all. They've put a few new bunkers in, a bit of length back into the course but if you play properly, you're going to score."
Els was among the later starters in the first round alongside Graeme McDowell and Miguel Angel Jimenez, with world number two Phil Mickelson in the group behind with English pair Oliver Wilson and Ross Fisher - winner of last week's European Open by seven shots.
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