Matt Wallace wants to be competing at the sharp end of a major and will not be content with simply making the cut at this week’s US PGA Championship.

The Moor Park-attached professional is preparing to get his challenge under way at Bellerive Country Club this evening, but his hopes stretch beyond making the final two rounds of a major championship for the first time.

The 28-year-old has yet to make the halfway cut in his previous three major appearances, but in his last two – this year’s US Open and The Open – he missed out on qualifying for rounds three and four by a single shot.

Asked earlier this week whether that gave him additional motivation ahead of competing in the final major of the year, Wallace responded: “I wouldn’t say so, no. I don’t feel like that’s a big obstacle to overcome because I have come close the last couple of times.

“This week I wouldn’t be satisfied with just making the weekend. I want to do more than that and, as always, I’ll just prepare as well as I can and we’ll see how it goes.”

Competing in a fourth major represents the continuation of a rapid rise for a golfer who came to wider prominence with six victories on the Alps Tour in 2016.

Wallace’s graduation to the Challenge Tour proved to be shortlived thanks to winning the co-sanctioned Open de Portugal to gain his European Tour card in 2017, with a further two victories this year helping him to a current ranking of 75th in the world.

Since triumphing at the BMW International Open in June though, Wallace has missed four consecutive cuts, but is not losing sight of the bigger picture.

While feeling “good” about his game, Wallace acknowledged: “It’s been an interesting time for me, missing a few cuts off the back of winning in Germany.

“That’s been frustrating and I’ve had to keep hold of the fact that I’m still trending in the right direction and that’s what it’s all about.

“I haven’t felt like my game is too far away but I wasn’t quite able to show it. There are some huge weeks and months ahead and it’s about getting ready to go again and enjoying it.”

Wallace travelled to America having not played in a tournament since The Open at Carnoustie and he admitted it had been good to have a competitive break.

He said: “I’d have liked to have been playing at the Bridgestone last week but it’s been good to have a couple of weeks at home, relaxing and having a bit of fun with my family and friends.

“You could never complain about it but I got in the US Open late and the win in Germany got me into the Open so it ended up being a six-week stretch of big tournaments.

“Like I say, that’s what you want to be doing but it’s been nice to recharge a bit.”

Turning to the challenge ahead at the 100th staging of the championship at the 7,547-yard course in St Louis, Wallace explained: “The best way to sum it up is probably long and hot!

"I know we’ve had a really hot summer at home but this is so humid and it will take a little bit of getting used to.

“Just from my first look at it, it’s a great course and hopefully I can have a good week.”