Adam Scott is urging Min Woo Lee to seize the moment when the young gun launches Australia's 2023 Masters assault at Augusta National.
Lee and Sydney amateur sensation Harrison Crowe will be the first Australians to hit the fabled fairways on Thursday, out in the same morning group alongside Larry Mize, the veteran Augusta native playing his 40th and final Masters some 36 years after breaking Greg Norman's heart.
Lee continues to live in the shadows of his dual major-winning sister Minjee, but has returned for his second Masters with hopes of contending after a rousing display at last month's Players Championship.
The 24-year-old played in the final group on Sunday at TPC Sawgrass and shared the lead early before a disastrous triple bogey brought him unstuck as world No.1 and defending Masters champion Scottie Scheffler cashed in on Lee's slip-up to win.
Lee, though, still drew plenty of confidence from his performance and has arrived back at Augusta with special memories from his magical back-nine 30 in last year's final round on debut.
That record-low cameo helped the Perth prodigy to a top-15 finish and now Scott - the only Australian to have ever donned the famous green jacket - wants Lee to realise his immense potential on one of golf's brightest stages.
"He's definitely finding a level of comfort in the big events. He should take a lot of confidence out of the Players Championship," Scott said.
"Min Woo has a really high ceiling with his game. When he plays well, he can obviously contend with the best and as he gets more and more comfortable I expect him to do that a lot more often."
But Scott - who won the Players as a 23-year-old before rising to world No.1 - wants Lee, a two-time European Tour winner, to do more than contend.
"He's certainly getting a lot more starts in the States and that's really great for his development.
"But while he's going well, he shouldn't be too patient. He should really push himself because you just don't know how many opportunities and how long a career can be.
"I've been lucky that mine's been drawn out really long now but we've seen other guys kind of hit their peak and not play on at a high level forever.
"So I'd really be pushing Min to take advantage of this good run of golf that he's on and see how far he can go."
Scott also wants Crowe to dream big this week when the 21-year-old makes his much-anticipated major championship debut.
"He's got a ton of game," Scott said after a practice round with Crowe on Tuesday.
"Anyone who can make it to Augusta as a young amateur has got it all there in front of him. I came here as a young guy (in 2002). I was a pro, but didn't know what I was doing and managed to finish ninth. It can happen."
Scott opens his 22nd Masters campaign with Americans Patrick Cantlay and Kurt Kitayama.
In his first major since winning last year's British Open at St Andrews, then joining LIV Golf, Cameron Smith is also in a friendly group playing alongside former Presidents Cup teammates Hideki Matsuyama and Sungjae Im.
Jason Day is the only Australian with a first-round afternoon tee time, out with American Zach Johnson and US amateur Gordon Sargent.
AUSTRALIANS IN FIRST-ROUND ACTION AT THE MASTERS (all times AEST):
THURSDAY 11pm: Min Woo Lee, Harrison Crowe
FRIDAY 12.30am: Adam Scott
12.54am: Cameron Smith
2.48am: Jason Day
