Xander Schauffele is once again ready to take on everything links golf can throw at him as he looks to mount a successful defence of his title at the Genesis Scottish Open.
The American arrived at The Renaissance Club 12 months ago as the form player on the planet having won the Travelers Championship and the JP McManus Pro-Am and he continued that run with a seven-under total handing him a one-shot win and a first Rolex Series title.
Schauffele admits that the challenge of links is not something he would be used to facing in his homeland but it is one he enjoys in Scotland and at Open Championship venues across the UK.
"It's always nice to come back to a place that brings good memories or that you have good memories at and this is one of those places for me," he said. "Always nice to be on this side of the pond.
"It's definitely a challenge, growing up in the US and coming over here and learning to play links, playing the ball down in severe wind and bunkers and taking your medicine when you do get in the bunker and things of that nature. It's always a challenge and something I enjoy doing.
"You just don't have to be perfect. Not that you have to be perfect anywhere else but I guess sometimes when you play parkland golf courses, it's calm and balmy almost.
"You're teeing off in the afternoon and you see someone's shot seven under on the front nine and you go out in the afternoon and you're one over after five holes and feel like you're going to lose the tournament.
"In links golf, there's way more variables that come into play with the weather and it just can play a lot harder, I guess.
"If you knew seven under was going to win (last year) before the week started, you would play the course differently. But you have an idea with the forecast, you see rain and wind and things of that nature, and you understand that and you don't have to be sort of perfect or shoot ridiculously low scores to contend and win."
One man who knows a thing or two about winning on links golf courses is 2017 Open Champion Jordan Spieth.
Renaissance is a more modern links layout than Royal Birkdale where Spieth won his Claret Jug, but the former World Number One was right in the mix on Sunday last season before a poor finish and is looking forward to taking it on again.
"I really enjoyed this tournament last year," he said. "I thought we had the wind blowing significantly last year all four days, including a tough final round where I had a chance to win, and certainly something about the golf course fit my eye, so I'm just trying to pick up where I left off here.
"I really enjoy coming to Scotland. Scottish links, or this country, it's one of my favourite places in the world to play golf.
"I've also really enjoyed playing this golf course. But this event... you can hit some shots that end up in places where you are this far off and the width could be significantly different. So there's some balance, but we get 72 holes to play and the ones that are playing best end up in the best spot."
