Louis Oosthuizen admits it is with a mixture of sadness and relief that he is coming to an end of his reign as Open champion.
Oosthuizen won his first major title by seven shots at St Andrews last year, crucially defying the windy second-round conditions to add a 67 to his opening 65.
A third round of 69 gave Oosthuizen a four-shot lead over Paul Casey, and a closing 71 was enough to seal a commanding victory at the Home of Golf.
The South African won the Africa Open on home soil earlier this year and has not given up hope of lifting the Claret Jug once again at Sandwich on Sunday.
"It's sad and it's a relief in the same sentence," Oosthuizen said. "I think it's a great honour, but from here on out you're not The Open champion anymore - well, unless...
"It's a bit of a relief just getting to the tournament and defending it and just going out and playing. I'm really looking forward to just getting out there and playing and seeing the crowds and everyone again.
"Open week is always a special week. I think being your first Major, that year afterwards is always tough, but hopefully if there's a second or when there's a second, it will be better the next year."
What Oosthuizen would buy with the £900,000 first prize on offer for this year's winner would be fascinating to see, especially after he celebrated last year's win by buying a tractor for his farm.
And the 28-year-old even played last week's John Deere Classic on the US Tour simply because he wanted to visit the manufacturer's factory in Moline, Illinois.
"It was a big dream of mine going there to the factory in Moline," Oosthuizen admitted with a grin. "I was there on Tuesday morning and went through the whole combine factory, which was amazing, and then had all these things to play on.
"It was like a big play area for men. I think it was a creche for us. I had a lot of fun there on a few excavators and stuff that we just played on."
Oosthuizen will now have to return the Claret Jug before he begins his first round alongside Martin Kaymer and Phil Mickelson on Thursday, but it should at least be in good condition.
"I haven't done anything unusual with it," Oosthuizen added. "I think probably the most special thing was to take it to the club where I grew up, the nine-hole course with sand and oil greens, Albertinia Golf Club.
"I took it there, showed it to the members, showed it to my friends, family. I think that was the most special thing to me, having the Claret Jug there at a golf club that's probably got 42, 43 members who are basically farmers and a few guys in town.
"That's where I grew up and that was quite a special moment for me."
