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But that begs the question: Were they actually watching him?

“No,” Mitchell said with a laugh before adding: “I felt they were. I wanted them to.”

His goal this week is to feel like he belongs, which is more about shedding the awe. Mitchell already has taken his place in golf by beating Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler with a birdie on the last hole to win the Honda Classic.

“I still kind of feel like a rookie and still feel just kind of in awe of the place, and I hope that never goes away,” he said. “But at the same time, I want to be more comfortable inside the ropes out here. That’s tough, because only experience and time can change that. … Everybody is saying, ‘Enjoy your first trip, soak it in, have fun.’ I’m trying. But I’m also playing in one of the biggest tournaments in the world, and you want to play well.”

READY RICKIE

Rickie Fowler knows he can play well on the weekend with a major championship on the line. What is still missing is a celebration after the final shot.

Fowler returns to Augusta National brimming with confidence after shooting 65 and 67 over the last two rounds of the 2018 Masters.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite enough to overtake Patrick Reed, who held on for a one-stroke victory and his first major title.

“Just have to do one better,” Fowler said Monday.

At age 30, he is eager to break through with his first championship in one of golf’s signature events. Though he has also had runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open and British Open, as well as a tie for third at the PGA Championship, Fowler believes Augusta might be his chance for major No. 1.