SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER is battling a health issue at The Masters.
The defending champion is searching for his first win of the year and where better to do it than Augusta.
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He feels well prepared to take on the iconic course in Georgia, despite a newfound problem this year.
Scheffler revealed he has been battling hay fever since touching down in Augusta.
The pollen count is higher than in recent years and the world No1 appears more bunged up than usual – he has been seen rubbing his eyes too.
But he is adamant he will not let his health situation prevent him from winning.
Scheffler said: “Sniffles aren’t going to stop me.
“This rain and pollen out here… I get out of my car in the morning, my eyes start watering.
“It’s a little bit worse than normal years. But I feel good, ready to roll.”
Scheffler started the season with an injury after cutting his hand while rolling ravioli with a wine glass.
His results have not hit the same heights as last year as a result, although he finished runner-up in the Houston Open last time out.
Despite not having his winning mojo, Scheffler is still confident ahead of his title defence.
He said: “This is definitely the most prepared that I’ve felt all year.
“I talked a lot about my preparation and stepping up on the tee at Pebble Beach (in January) feeling like I wasn’t exactly where I was when I ended the year just because I had taken so much time off.
“That was a different feeling because coming into the off-season I think you’re always really excited to get out and play.
“This year coming off an injury was definitely a different feeling than I’ve had in the last few years.
“But as far as preparedness goes, this is definitely as prepared as I’ve felt going into any event this year, and I’m excited to get the tournament going.”
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Scheffler is, for many, the man to beat once again this year.
And despite being No1 the 28-year-old is always learning, and he likes what he has seen from Rory McIlroy in recent weeks.
He said: “I think when you look at a lot of the players out here on Tour, I think there’s a lot we can learn from each other.
“Like Rory, I feel like has always been someone who’s played really freely. All the times I’ve played with him, he swings it really hard off the tee, and I feel like he does a really good job of playing free and playing loose at times.
“It’s real easy for me to notice that. It’s a lot harder to go out there and say, “Hey, I’m going to play freely”, then actually do it. I think in golf a lot of times it’s easier said than done.
“So when you look at the historically great players, guys like the Rory McIlroys and Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelsons and all those guys, they were really good at noticing things they could improve at. Actually being able to do it is really the thing that they were best at.”