EUROPEAN TOUR:BIG-HITTING Spaniard Alvaro Quiros was given a lesson he will never forget on his debut in the Masters last year.

But when the 27-year-old returns in two weeks’ time he promises that things will be different. Now he knows what is in store for him.

Quiros, at 33rd in the world the highest-ranked player at this week’s Andalucian Open in Malaga, was left shocked and stunned after finishing 85th out of 96 at Augusta following rounds of 78 and 75.

“I was hitting the ball bad and the course was a completely different thing to what I was expecting. It was a tough week,” he said yesterday.

“I have to be honest – it was a really frustrating tournament.

“You need to know all the tricks. Augusta changes from Wednesday to Thursday, something that is impossible to believe and for me it was impossible almost.

“Now I have an idea. Like the first hole you have to putt uphill, not downhill and at the 13th you need to be on the lower side of the green.

“Last year I hit a massive drive and had a seven-iron which went a little left. In the practice days I was chipping from there, but on the Thursday they had cut it and it was impossible to chip.

“You had to putt. It was like they lie to me, cheat me. It was not worth it to practice.

“I said that if I kept hitting the ball the same I wouldn’t come back, but I am becoming a better player. I’m not hitting the ball better, but we made some changes during the winter to be more consistent.”

Quiros had never played any major until he teed off last April, but he had a bad feeling about how things were going to go.

“I was on my first tee of my first major. It was Augusta National, full of people and yet it wasn’t special. This is very sad for me.

“You have to be happy. This time I would like to be excited, nervous.”

Finishing sixth at the WGC-CA Championship in Miami two weeks ago was a timely boost for his confidence – and another step towards a Ryder Cup debut in October.

“That is the most important thing this year and I will try to fight until the last tournament. There is no doubt of that.”

The only other players in the world top 50 taking part this week are tournament host Miguel Angel Jimenez – a winner on the Parador close 11 years ago – and Italian Francesco Molinari.

They are also Augusta-bound, as is defending champion Soren Kjeldsen and South African Louis Oosthuizen and Swede Alexander Noren could join them if they win.

Victory would leave them waiting to see if it was enough to climb into the top 50 and earn an invitation.

Andalucian Open

Course: Parador de Malaga.

Length: 6,817 yards. Par: 70.

Prizemoney: €1 million, €167,000 for the winner

Field: 144.

Defending champion: Soren Kjeldsen beat David Drysdale by three strokes at Royal Seville.

Irish in action: Paul McGinley, Shane Lowry, Darren Clarke, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Michael Hoey, Gareth Maybin, Simon Thornton.

On TV: Sky Sports, from 11am today.