Charl Schwartzel has already won twice this season and has put on a green jacket before, making him a favourite for The Masters.
In 2011 the lanky South African became the first player to birdie the final four holes on Sunday at Augusta National Golf Club to win his first, and only, major title.
This week he returns to The Masters on a high, with a victory at the Tshwane Open and the Valspar Championship under his belt already.
‘There’s nothing like that that gets you pumped like winning,” quipped the 31-year-old after his PGA Tour triumph earlier this year.
He heads into the year’s first major ranked 20th in the world, which might not seem like much when compared to Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, or Rory McIlroy.
But Schwartzel has made a steady return to the top echelon of golfers, despite taking a two-month break over the festive season.
Week in and out on the PGA Tour the statistics gurus say that Schwartzel has the game to win, but for often under-performs.
He did the opposite at Augusta in 2011, proving to the world that he’s really got game. This week he tees up as a contender for the title, and a run of good form coming into the week is a very promising sign.
‘It’s a place I feel very comfortable with and for me the best thing of all of it I’ve actually got my fade back. It’s a really good boost to going back and starting first major of the year. I mean it’s a really exciting week and always look forward to it,’ he said.
