Zach Johnson has no qualms about playing competitively the week before a major and he hopes the FedEx St Jude Classic will provide the perfect tune-up for the US Open.
While many professionals ease off their schedule in the days leading up to one of golf's big-four events Johnson, the 2007 Masters champion, will throw himself into the Memphis tournament hoping to maintain his recent good form.
The 36-year-old won the Colonial at the end of May and was runner-up twice - at the Players Championship and RBC Heritage - in four previous starts.
He is now looking to continue that form this week as he believes it will be ideal preparation for the US Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco next week.
"I get the question a lot why are you playing Memphis, and usually the premise behind that question is one: it's in front of the US Open, and two: it just seems like a lot of guys skip this event," said the American.
"I don't know why they skip it. I don't know how you'd rank them but I think this is one of the most under-rated tournaments on the PGA Tour.
"The golf course is really good, really hard. If you shoot under par here essentially any day, regardless of conditions, you're playing pretty good golf.
"I like to play. I like to be in the competitive mode going into a major.
"And going into a US Open where you have to have all aspects of your game on this tournament certainly gets you in that sort of competitive state."
Other players looking to pick up some form include Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy.
The world number two has missed his last three cuts and needs a good week in Memphis ahead of the defence of his US Open title.
McIlroy will at least be in relaxed company when he tees off tomorrow as he has been grouped off alongside compatriot Graeme McDowell, a fellow US Open winner, and another Irishman in Padraig Harrington.
