Two-time major winner Xander Schauffele believes he can defy an injury-hit build-up to win the third leg of a career grand slam in the 89th Masters.
Schauffele won his maiden major title in the US PGA Championship last year and won the Open Championship at Royal Troon two months later, but has played just four events in 2025 due to a rib injury.
Asked if he still felt he could win a green jacket at Augusta National this week, the world number three said: “Absolutely, yeah.
“I think I know what I’m capable of when I’m feeling good, when I’m not thinking of anything but getting the ball in the hole.
“It’s been a process to get back to that. I don’t have a ton of reps doing it, but there’s a lot for me to draw back on, sort of previous accomplishments to sort of let that confidence grow.
“I’ve never really dealt with injury before, so I’ve never really been sidelined.
“I’m trying to find all the positives to attach to the situation, and me not being hurt before and sitting at home thinking all these thoughts, watching everyone else play golf and sort of fly by me, it’s been very motivating.
“Just trying to use that to perform at a higher level.”
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is the favourite to win his third Masters title in four years, with Rory McIlroy closely behind after winning both the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Players Championship this season.
“There’s so many guys that have played at a really high level, and luckily I’ve learned that I can play at that level,” Schauffele added.
“[It’s] more motivating than anything else. They’ve been playing incredible golf. Rory has been playing unbelievably well this year with a couple wins already and kind of breezing through what looks like hard golf courses.
“And it’s just what happens when you’re a really good player and you put things together. That’s sort of what happens. Luckily I was able to do that last year, and there’s no reason I can’t do it again.”
