“This week could actually be a good test for it because here is very, very hard.

“I sort of forgot how hard the course is. It’s a very long golf course, very challenging off the tee, so long and straight is probably a good combo.”

McKibbin carded a three-under 70 to win last year’s European Open by two shots, closing out his victory in impressive fashion with a birdie on the par-five 18th after drawing his approach around a tree and on to the green.

“It was a lot warmer last year and the ball sort of got a bit of run on the fairways,” added world number 147 McKibbin.

“It’s playing a lot longer this year so I think driving will be very, very big again.

“I am very excited just to get over there [to America] to play and to see where my game is at. So this week should sort of get me into that mental state of battling it out.”