At the start of the year Matthew Millar didn't even have his Australian tour card, had yet to win a single tournament and was a part-time golfer after taking up coaching. 
The Canberra-based Gold Creek professional is now one strong round from donning the gold jacket he's coveted since he was a kid after he took a one-stroke lead after the third round of the Australian Masters.
Millar (seven-under) was one of the few to handle the brutal conditions at Huntingdale Golf Club on Saturday, posting a three-under 68 to lead a player he helps coach, Andrew Evans, by a stroke.
While world No.12 Adam Scott capitulated with a 77 to fall from the outright lead to five off the pace, Millar is preparing for the biggest day of his career.
The 39-year-old has previously described being forced to win back his tour card at tour school early this year as the "kick up the backside" he needed. 
After accepting the teaching position at Gold Creek Country Club, Millar was content to ditch international events, play on the local tour and spend more time with family.
"[Battling back from qualifying school], you think back on those kind of things," he said.
"You enjoy playing golf but sometimes it can be good to you and bad to you.
"I was never going to give it away, some people seemed to think because I took the job at Gold Creek I was giving it away. It was just the international side of things, and I was happy to be home a bit more."
Now fifth on the Order of Merit with eight top-10 finishes in eight events, including a breakthrough win at the New Zealand PGA Championship, Millar admitted he may have to reconsider that stance.
"Possibly. It's all part and parcel of what happens tomorrow and over the next couple of weeks [at the Australian Open and Australian PGA]," he said.
"We'll see where I finish, what the Order of Merit opens up and any possible exemptions which come my way.
"It's a funny game. I played a British Open, made a cut and sometimes you think those things won't happen, and they do."
Millar's wife, Rebecca, will fly down to Melbourne for the final round and while being the hunted in a big tournament is a new experience, he won't change his approach.
The near $88,000 he's won this far is a drop in the ocean compared to Scott's $798,000 on the European Tour, but changing his mindset has been key for Millar.
"I'll just put my best foot forward and see what I come up with. I won't change anything, that's for sure," he said.
"I've always loved the Masters, growing up watching the coverage it's always been a tournament I've wanted to win."