Charl Schwartzel Charl Schwartzel is one of three South Africans starting their bid for the Masters title at Augusta National on Thursday afternoon. Photo: AFP
Image: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images/AFP
Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel will go into Thursday’s first round at Augusta National full of confidence that he can repeat his winner’s exploits of 2011.
He will be one of three South Africans at golf’s first major of the year, and the 40-year-old has set his sights on a second Green Jacket in 2025.
After a strong performance in his last tournament at the LIV Golf Miami event, where he came second, Schwartzel feels a consistent performance could aid his challenge for a second win.
For the first time in a couple of years, he arrived at Augusta with clarity on what lies ahead.
“I am feeling good about it, to be honest,” he said about his Masters chances.
“There were a lot of good signs for me at the beginning of this year. I’ve worked hard, I’ve gotten a lot fitter, and have lost a lot of kilogrammes. I am feeling good in general, so we will see. I am quite content.
“I am very privileged to play Augusta, and we’ll keep it at that.”
Schwartzel, who is grouped with Denny McCarthy of America and amateur Singaporean Hiroshi Tai, will tee off at 5.49pm (SA time) and will be the final South African in the field.
Ahead of him, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (5.38pm) play alongside US duo Tom Hoge and Matt McCarty.
Debutant Thriston Lawrence (5.10pm) will be the first SA player to grace the course alongside Spaniard José María Olazábal and Brian Campbell from the US.
Schwartzel described Augusta as a second-shot golf course where you must be accurate with your irons.
He says there’s still a bit of leeway when you drive off the tee box, and those who do well on the course are good iron players.
He remembers the 16th hole fondly, although No 12 and No 13, with the blooming azaleas, are the most beautiful holes on the course.
“The more you play the greens, the more you understand how to putt,” Schwartzel said.
“As opposed to someone who plays here for the first time, they struggle because there is so much more break in a normal putt.
“It doesn’t get easier when you play there often, but you, in a way, get more used to the breaks on the greens (and how fast it runs).
“I could never forget 16 because of the year that I won (in 2011), the eruption that happened there when I made the putt... it always stands out.
“But I would say the most beautiful part is 12 and 13 with the azaleas, but 16 will always stand out for me.”
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler (4.15pm) and fellow American Justin Thomas have been paired together alongside amateur Jose Luis Ballester of Spain.
They will be followed by the trio of Jordan Spieth (USA), Tom Kim (Korea), and Englishman Tyrell Hatton in an exciting group.
Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy needs a victory at the Masters to become the first player since Tiger Woods to secure a career Grand Slam.
Should he win the Green Jacket after the weekend’s play, he will join Woods, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus as the only golfers to have won all four majors in the modern era.
He will have two exciting young players in Ludvig Aberg (Sweden) and Akshay Bhatia (USA) in his group (7.12pm) to keep him on his toes.