Finally feeling like a true golf professional, the novelty of competing at a major tournament has worn off for former amateur star Bryden Macpherson.

“This time coming here, I’m seeing it as a golf tournament rather than as an experience,” said the 23-year-old, one of eight Australians contesting this week’s British Open at Royal Liverpool.

Macpherson will contest the third major of his career from Thursday but it will be the first in which he truly believes he belongs.

Big things were expected of the Victorian after he became just the second Australian to win the British Amateur Championship in 2011.

However, he found the transition to the professional circuit tough.

Macpherson failed to consolidate a place on the secondary US tour and missed the cut in his two major appearances, at the 2011 British Open and 2012 US Masters.

He admits to being a little overawed at the big tournaments but, looking back, says his game simply wasn’t up to scratch.

“Some people are ready to take the jump (from amateur to professional) straight away, others take a little more time,” said Macpherson, who qualified for this year’s Open with his top-10 finish at the Australian Open in December.

“I think with me winning the Amateur Championship, it was just my week, but I don’t necessarily feel like I was ready to take on the challenge of playing at a higher level.

“I didn’t have the skills required to match it with these guys out here.

“I’ve never had a problem with competitiveness or wanting to win, determination or work ethic. It’s always been for me that I haven’t quite had the skill set.”

With continued hard work under his coach Denis McDade, Macpherson feels he’s now made the necessary improvement to his game.

A consistent run of recent results in Asia has boosted his confidence and while he has no set expectations for the week ahead at Hoylake, he’s hoping there’ll be many more major appearances in the future.

“Right now my game’s in the best shape it’s ever been in so there’s no reason I can’t play well,” he said.

“I really do feel like I’m starting my professional career, right now this week.

“This is kind of the beginning.”

Already possessing more links golf experience than many foreigners in the field, Macpherson has spent more than a week and a half preparing in the UK while he also spent time tweaking his game in windy conditions on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.