Venue: Augusta National, Georgia Date: 6-9 April |
Coverage: Live text commentary of all four rounds on BBC Sport website. Live radio commentary on Thursday from 20:00 BST and Friday from 21:00, on Saturday from 21:00 and Sunday from 20:00 |
World number one Scottie Scheffler says he is motivated by having “fun” rather than creating a legacy as he attempts to defend his Masters crown.
The American would become just the fourth player to win the title in successive years, emulating Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
But he said: “Legacy at the end of this is not really why I play.
“Legacy is a complicated thing. In 100 years I’m going to be forgotten and it’s not a big deal.”
Scheffler arrives at Augusta National in great form, having won twice on the PGA Tour, including last month’s prestigious Players Championship.
The 26-year-old finished three strokes clear of Rory McIlroy 12 months ago and has been talked up by Woods as having the credentials and tools to repeat that success.
“Any time you can get mentioned in the same breath as a Tiger and a Jack and a Nick Faldo is really special, but it’s not a motivating factor for me to come out here and play,” Scheffler added.
“It’s so special and cool when it happens, but it doesn’t motivate me. I’m just trying to come out here and do my best and play good golf and have fun.
“Outside of that, I’m just hoping to have a good attitude and do the best that I can do, and wherever that ends up, I’ll be happy with.”
The understated Texan star
Scheffler’s menu for Tuesday’s Champions Dinner underlined his desire for simplicity and he has remained remarkably undistracted from all the attention that has come with winning a major and sitting at the top of the world rankings.
The Texan mentioned that he still had the same car – a 2012 model – as before his victory at last year’s tournament and that little in his life had changed.
“You would think that I’m a significantly different person than I was a year and a half ago, but when it comes to life at home, everything is still the exact same,” he added.
“One of our kind of somewhat traditions is buying a bottle of nice tequila after each win, and that’s pretty much the extent of it. I’m sure eventually maybe I’ll get a new car. I don’t know.
“Nothing changes at home. I still have the same friends; I married the same girl I dated in high school. My family definitely doesn’t treat me any different. It just so happens that we get to come to places like these on occasions and have fun.”