Jordan Spieth believes The Open Championship could be every bit as tough as last week's U.S. Open, but he remains confident he can defend his title at Carnoustie.
The world's fifth-ranked player triumphed at The Open last year, winning his third major, battling past Matt Kuchar by three shots after a wobble on the Sunday.
This year has seen Spieth perform with little consistency, however, and last week's chaotic U.S. Open - where weather conditions contributed to high scores - saw him miss the cut.
Yet Spieth insists that a return to a tournament he won last year, albeit at a different course, should not offer too much encouragement.
"I don't think I should prepare myself for anything easier. I've seen Opens at Carnoustie," he told a conference call ahead of next month's Championship.
"I've seen that the golf course has a reputation and a nickname, 'Car-nasty', among a lot of the players, for being that difficult.
"It won't be necessarily the golf course itself; the conditions can obviously create scores similar to what the U.S. Open just saw, but I thoroughly enjoy links golf.
"The Open Championship has always been one of my favourite events of my life to have played in and I am looking forward to this challenge.
"I know Carnoustie presents - especially in the finishing holes, but really throughout the entire golf course - a tremendous challenge that, as a competitor, you look forward to that tough but fair type of challenge.
"No matter the conditions, I know it will be difficult. You can obviously expect a little bit of everything in four days over in Scotland."
Despite these challenges and Spieth's less than spectacular form, the defending champion is confident there is nothing to be concerned about at the next major.
"I have no doubt in my ability to come back and defend whether form's on, off or anything indifferent," he said.
"I've proven to myself that I can go from two missed cuts to potentially winning the week after in previous years. That's not anything that throws me off."
