Rose will happily take his major 'hoodoo' score of 14 under in Masters

Despite being a combined 34 under par for the majors in 2015, the fourth best total in history, Rose finished four shots behind Jordan Spieth at Augusta National, missed the play-off in the Open at St Andrews by the same margin and was six shots adrift of Jason Day at the US PGA.

Rose's total of 274 has only been bettered six times in Masters history, but the 35-year-old took great confidence from the fact that it took a stunning performance from Spieth to prevent him becoming the first European player to win a green jacket and US Open.

"The Masters is a tournament as a young kid I watched probably more than any of the others," Rose said. "The fact it came on late at night and you were able bribe your parents to stay up was probably part of the attraction. It's always had something special.

"To back up a US Open win with a Masters would be just incredible. Obviously the Open Championship is my home event and that's going to be one that's always on the hit list.

"But to win here, it's a venue that we come back year on year, you begin to develop that relationship with the course, the venue, the feel, the tournament. And it's somewhere I feel very, very comfortable.

"I don't think you ever feel like you've necessarily mastered it because, invariably, you learn something new every year, which is what I love about it.

“I've had a lot of good rounds here. Last year I was able to put four together in a row.

"If I look back at the 16th green (in the final round), I felt that if I make my birdie putt and Jordan misses for par, it's a two-shot swing and I'm two back with two to play. But my putt just slid by and he made a great eight-footer to keep his momentum.

"Essentially I was beaten by an all-time great performance so I take a lot of confidence from that; many other years, that level of performance is good enough to win. If you get beaten by a better guy on the week, you tip your cap. But I know that what I was able to do last year tells me I've got what it takes to win the tournament going forward."

Despite finishing joint second with Phil Mickelson last year, Rose has barely been considered as a contender in 2016 due to the focus on Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, although he is not complaining.

"That's fine with me," Rose added. "I haven't really had any fireworks yet this year, to sort of come in here with people having me at the front of their mind.

"I feel like all of my backroom work has all been fantastic and my preparation has been coming along nicely. (I'm) under the radar, but certainly feeling good with my game."

Rose will be participating in his 11th Masters this week and believes the knowledge he has gained over that period of time will stand him in good stead with the greens understood to be lightning-fast already and difficult weather conditions predicted.

"Wind is forecast Thursday, Friday,” he said. “That's going to be tough, especially at Augusta where it swirls, so Amen Corner may be tricky and that's where experience comes in."

Meanwhile, Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke insists he will shed no tears at the end of what could be his final appearance in the Masters this week.

While emotions are sure to be high as former champion Tom Watson calls time on his playing career at Augusta National, Clarke is more phlegmatic about the prospect for himself.

"I'm not going to lie, there won't be any tears shed when I walk up the 18th fairway on Friday or Sunday," Clarke said. "I don't dislike the course, but the margins of error are very fine here and I haven't coped well with that fact. Too often I got my ambitions and my capabilities mixed up.

"Maybe that's the best way to describe my Masters experience."

Clarke's five-year exemption for winning the Open in 2011 runs out this week and he is honest enough to know that his current form does not suggest he will be likely to qualify again soon. The 47-year-old has not recorded a single top-10 on the European Tour since lifting the Claret Jug.

"I like the way you said, 'This is the last year of your Masters exemption' rather than, 'This is the last year you're going to be here,' " Clarke laughed when asked about his status by Golf Digest.

"But that's okay. I know my form over the last couple of years hasn't been nearly good enough. Which is partly why I'm not feeling particularly emotional about this maybe being my last time at Augusta National. It is a special place to be. But if this is it for me, then so be it."

Clarke has been understandably distracted by his role as Ryder Cup captain ahead of this year's contest at Hazeltine, but has recorded just one top-10 finish in 13 appearances in the Masters, claiming a share of eighth on his debut in 1998.

"While the course appeals to the creative side of my golfing nature, my awareness of where not to go has held me back," he added. "I've never been able to just go out there and have a right go, all of which is not like me.

"But playing smart has never been one of my strong points, either. And when you start going for flags you shouldn't go for, it can be a problem."

Since Clarke and Keegan Bradley won the last two majors of 2011 when 111th and 108th in the world respectively, the lowest ranked winner of a major has been Ernie Els, who was 40th when he won the 2012 Open at Lytham.

The statistics do not favour a European winner however, with Jose Maria Olazabal the last to don the famous green jacket in 1999 after a period of dominance which saw eight wins between 1988 and 1999 and seven out of nine from Sandy Lyle's triumph in 1988 to Nick Faldo's third title in 1996.

"It's not as if we haven't had our share of world-class golfers," Ryder Cup captain Clarke said. "Why they haven't succeeded here, I have no idea.

"Rory should feature every year. His game is made for this course. And look at Justin Rose. His Masters record is sensational. On the other hand, this is the place where Sergio Garcia thinks he can never win."