Jason Day and Min Woo Lee are using a heart-to-heart from Australia's deputy chef de mission Kyle Vander-Kuyp as inspiration in their quest for Olympic golf history in Paris.
No Australian golfer has ever won a Games medal but Day and Lee hope to be the first after being infused with Olympic spirit during a moving meeting with Vander-Kuyp at their team hotel in Versailles on Sunday night.
Having attended Friday's opening ceremony and with a soon-to-be three-time Olympian for an older sister, Lee has immersed himself in Olympic life since arriving in Paris.
For Day, hearing the story of Vander-Kuyp's rise from childhood adoption to Olympic 110-metre hurdles finalist at Atlanta in 1996 and semi-finalist at Sydney 2000 has further fuelled his bid for a medal.
"I remember watching him as a kid, which was really cool," Day said.
"He told us a story about when he was watching the Olympics and he went to his mum and said 'Hey, I want to become an Olympic athlete and I want to wear the green and gold'.
"Showing that determination from such a young age … no one teaches that. It's something that's within you.
"And making the actual dream happen is another story. It was really inspiring."
Lee spent Tuesday night in the stands watching Alex de Minaur and Alex Popyrin at Roland Garros, absorbing what he could on how they handle sport's grandest stage.
The 26-year-old will also carry some extra fire in the belly after speaking with Vander-Kuyp on Sunday.
"Just what it means to him," Lee said of his key takeaway.
"It's special. It definitely brings a little extra motivation. I'm just excited to go and play."
The additional lure awaiting either is the chance to become Australia’s first Olympic medallist in golf.
For Lee, that represents a rare chance to get one up on his sister, Minjee, before she tees up in the women's competition next week.
It would be a form of redemption for Day who has repeatedly expressed regret at having declined the chance to compete at Rio 2016.
"The rarity of winning a medal in golf; they only give out three," said the former world No.1 and 2015 US PGA champion.
"Before I came over, all my mates were like, ‘Dude, you’re an Olympic athlete.’ They kept saying it. I’m like, ‘Man, whatever, that's fine.’ After they kept saying it, I can understand how important and cool it is to call yourself an Olympic athlete."
Hannah Green joins Minjee Lee as Australia's second competitor in the women's event starting next Wednesday, also at Le Golf National.
Both events are 72-hole stroke play, with Americans Nelly Korda and Xander Schauffele the respective defending champions from Tokyo.
