Lee Westwood says his game is in good shape for Augusta

Lee Westwood hopes he can turn his good form into major success and win his first Masters at Augusta this week.

"I'm bringing most facets of my game up to a good level - a level where I feel I can compete in the majors," said the Nottinghamshire golfer.

"It's just a case of doing it all in one week.

"People will see the good form I'm carrying. I've had a lot of top-ten finishes recently. And hopefully I can turn some of them into a win."

The tournament gets under way on Thursday and Westwood, 34, is desperate for a good showing.

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Westwood's tie for 30th at a reshaped Augusta last year (on 13 over, 12 shots adrift of the winner Zach Johnson) was his best finishing position in five previous visits to the Masters, where he has only made the cut twice.

But, while he did not finish inside the top 30 in any of the four majors last season, he did not finish outside the top 40 in them either - a show of consistency that saw him tie 36th at the US Open, 35th at the Open and 32nd at the USPGA.

Since then, he has taken his game - and his fitness - up another level and has been Europe's most consistent performer, currently sitting second only to Henrik Stenson on the Order of Merit.

The Worksop star considers himself in the best shape he has ever been but knows he will have to be if he is to be successful on a gruelling course.

"The course grinds you down, mentally more than anything. It's five hours of brain battering," he said.

I feel well prepared and closer to a major than ever Lee Westwood

"But I look forward to it. Any time you are tested to the limit and you know it's coming, you look forward to that experience.

"You hope you come out the other end having beaten everybody else. It's difficult to tell whether lack of fitness has cost me in the past - it's unquantifiable. In golf, there are so many different factors that come into it.

"Mental fatigue might be brought on by not being fit enough or by not eating enough.

"Now when I come off the course I feel I can play again. I feel stronger, and it's easy to get my body into positions where I can control things.

"I feel well prepared and closer to a major than ever."