Danny Willett has not given up hope of playing at The Masters but said it will be "touch and go" as to whether he tees it up at Augusta National next week.
The Englishman was the surprise winner in 2016 when he made the most of Jordan Spieth's dramatic back-nine collapse on Sunday to claim his first Major triumph.
However, he is in a race against a time to be fit to compete in this year's edition having undergone shoulder surgery following the BMW PGA Championship in September.
The 36-year-old still harbours ambitions of competing in his tenth Masters next week but admits he will go in with limited expectations if his body allows him to tee it up on Thursday.
"It’s still touch and go in terms of whether I play at Augusta," Willet said, speaking to Betfred. "Usually I head up to Augusta with Nick and the boys along with my grandparents and friends whereas this year it’s going to be just me and [my wife] Nicole.
"There are a few areas [of my game] that need sprucing up but this year has been very quiet compared to seven years ago which has been nice. We’ll see what happens but I'll have to be aware not to burn myself out by the time the tournament starts."
Even if Willett cannot compete, he will still be on the grounds at Augusta to attend the Masters Champions Dinner. Despite winning the tournament eight years ago, the novelty has still not worn off for the Sheffield-born golfer.
Danny Willett won the 2016 Masters
"I have to pinch myself every time I go back there," he said. "You’re sat in the locker room chatting to the guys before dinner. Out of the whole week, that’s the most surreal part for me.
"Being across from Jack [Nicklaus] and sitting opposite Gary [Player] with Ben Crenshaw hosting and telling their own personal Masters stories, it’s a special night."
-
LIV Golf Singapore Prize Money Payout 2024There’s another eye-catching prize money payout available at the second LIV Golf event in a week at Sentosa Golf Club
-
Nike Air Max 1 '86 OG G Golf Shoe ReviewNike produce a wide variety of golf shoes and, in this piece, Matt Cradock takes the Air Max 1 '86 OG G to the course to find out what the performance is like
-
Scheffler The New Tiger? Time For Woods To Say Goodbye? 10 Takeaways From The 2024 MastersWe highlight ten of the key stories to come from the 88th edition of the Masters
-
Tommy Fleetwood Banks Huge Sum For Local Augusta Caddie After Englishman's Best Masters ResultGray Moore is a former Augusta National caddie master who was helping Fleetwood out after his regular caddie Ian Finnis was forced to stay home
-
Eight Masters Contenders In The Field For This Week's $20 Million RBC HeritageThere's no respite for the world's elite as, following the Masters, the PGA Tour circuit moves to Harbour Town and the RBC Heritage
-
How Social Media Reacted To Scottie Scheffler's Second Masters VictorySocial media was awash with fans, legends, and brands congratulating Scheffler over his second Masters win in three years
-
Masters Runner-Up Ludvig Aberg Has Major Ambitions (And World No.1 Goal)The Swede sensation is targeting Major glory after pushing World No.1 Scottie Scheffler all the way at Augusta
-
'My Identity Is Secure Forever' - Scottie Scheffler's Mindset Provides The Fuel To Secure A Second Green JacketScheffler's second Masters win came with his first child due in a matter of weeks. His mindset off the course is clearly helping him do great things on it.
-
The Internet's Best Reactions To Tiger Woods Appearing To Shake Hands With A TreeThe perfect camera angle, the perfect meme. Here's the internet's best reactions to Tiger's unusual handshake
-
Scottie Scheffler’s Caddie Ted Scott Has Now Won The Masters Four TimesAfter victories in 2012 and 2014, Ted Scott has now picked up Masters wins with Scottie Scheffler in 2022 and 2024!
