AUGUSTA, Ga. – In an odd way, the easy part of Scottie Scheffler’s week at the Masters begins at 1:36 p.m. (ET) Thursday when he tees off for the opening round of the year’s first major.

It’s not as though he hasn’t enjoyed being the defending champion and all the traditions and responsibilities that go along with that, most notably Tuesday’s Champions Dinner, but it’s the golf that he does best and when play finally begins there will be an understandable relief.

“He’s hit the ball so beautifully the last three days,” said Scheffler’s swing coach Randy Smith. “There are so many things going on this week and I just think he’s ready to play.”

For Smith the last year – which featured Scheffler winning his first PGA Tour event, his first major and moving to world No. 1 – has not been that different than the previous years. His ball-striking and driving have improved and his short game has also been refined, but for Smith, there have been no urges to tinker with something that’s clearly working.

“That would be like telling the pitcher who has the perfect game going in the eighth inning that his form is perfect if he just cleaned up this one thing,” Smith laughed.

Smith did explain that Scheffler has evolved as a competitor since winning last year’s Masters. 

“Last year hardened him in a soft way,” Smith said. By that he explained that Scheffler’s victory at Augusta National only “fed the fire” to put himself back into contention at the game’s biggest events and that he arrives at Augusta National hungrier than ever to add to that legacy.