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Editor's note: Daniel Chopra is coming off his best season ever on the PGA TOUR, and he already has two finishes among the top-11 in 2007. A nine-time winner around the world and two-time champ on the Nationwide Tour, Chopra will be writing a monthly blog for PGATOUR.com. This is his first installment.

HILTON HEAD, S.C. -- I've been playing pretty well this year. I haven't scored as well as I did last year, but I've hit the ball much better overall.

Daniel Chopra sits 51st in FedExCup Standings (WireImage).

My short game just needs to come around a little. I need to start converting some of the opportunities I have and saving shots when I miss the green. I just have to keep putting myself in position.

You have to get comfortable and have a good start on Sunday when you're in contention. You need the good breaks. No one wins without them. You might be nervous and mis-hit a shot -- but instead of rolling into a bunker, it stays on the green. You need the odd break when you're on the edgy side.

The more times you put yourself in contention, the more momentum you'll get. You don't have to shoot 64 when you're in the hunt. Sometimes a couple under will do. So I'm just going to keep working hard.

I've only had one coach in my entire life, an Australian named Kel Llewellyn. He's been coaching me since I was a little kid, so I don't need constant supervision now. If something goes wrong, I know how to fix it. I really don't work that much on technique anymore.

So much of this game, at this level, is mental anyway. I've worked a little with a sports psychologist in Sweden, but a lot of it is common sense, really. I'm pretty comfortable with myself and with my game.

I'm playing at Harbour Town this week. I'm really looking forward it. This is one of my top-three favorite courses on the PGA TOUR. It's a beautiful course where you can really use your imagination.

You have to hit a lot of different types of shots here. A lot of people get scared when they get out of their comfort zone but I love the challenge of having a tree in the way and having to work the ball around it and salvage par. That's one of the things I used to work on with Kel.

His motto was to have the largest repertoire of shots you could have. That way, he said, you'll never get caught in a bad situation. Hit a draw. Hit a fade. Hit it high. Hit it low. Grip down on the shaft.

He wanted me to learn it all. When I used to go home to India, I can remember standing on the range at Delhi Golf Club.

The caddies would gather around and say, 'Daniel, hit a low fade. Daniel, hit a high fade.' I was always showing them what I could do. I used to enjoy doing that. It was like an artist showing off his most recent painting.

Golf is a game of adaptation. You always have to figure something out. This golf course forces you to use all your shots and all your imagination. I really like playing here.

I was off last week, and I spent a lot of my time watching the Masters on TV. It is by far my favorite tournament to watch. I have always said that the only drawback when I finally get to play in the Masters is that I wouldn't be able to watch it on TV.

I am always learning something about Augusta National that way. I think the greens were too hard this year for the way they are supposed to play. That was due to the weather conditions mostly.

It was so dry and cold and windy that you couldn't keep the greens soft. Sunday things moderated a little and they could finally use the slopes the way they were intended. It was fun to watch. I really pay attention to the broadcast.

That way, when I do get to play in the Masters I will have a little knowledge. I refuse to set foot there until I am actually in the tournament, though. It's a bit of inspiration for me. I will go when I finally earn my way there.

My wife Sam and I have a new member of the family, too. We got a puggle -- a cross between a beagle and a pug -- last Tuesday during the Masters. We named him Cosmo.

He'll be a lot of fun for us. It's going to be interesting traveling with a dog. We're still trying to figure out the tricks of the trade. We flew privately this week, but we can't do that every week.

We're staying at a condo this week which is right opposite the clubhouse, so it's very convenient. Just fantastic, really. Cosmo is reasonably well-behaved -- but it's funny how dogs always seem to find the carpet when they have an accident.

I've been walking him some, but Sam's done the yeoman's duty with Cosmo. She says she's training the dog and me at the same time.