Adam Scott ready for Australian Open bid
Scott bogeyed his last hole in Sydney last year to lose the Australian Open title to McIlroy, which also cost the Australian a rare sweep of his nation’s three marquee events.
The loss to the now top-ranked Irishman had been a “thorn in his side”, Scott said this week, but the 34-year-old will head to Sydney with confidence after storming home at the Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne to finish joint second, a stroke behind winner Nick Cullen.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“I felt in good shape coming here and just got knocked around a bit on Thursday with that northerly [wind],” Scott said after referring to an opening round of 73 played in hot, fluky winds that left him playing catch-up.
CONNECT WITH THE SCOTSMAN
• Subscribe to our daily newsletter (requires registration) and get the latest news, sport and business headlines delivered to your inbox every morning
“I got a bit out of sorts and it’s taken me a couple of days to kind of get back to where I thought I was. I’ve chipped away at it but I feel like I’m in good shape. Today was definitely the best I’ve swung the club, putted and chipped and did everything well.”
“Hopefully that’ll continue because… I’ve got a feeling [the Australian Golf Club] is going to suit my game a little more,” he added of the Australian Open venue. “I just remember it’s a pretty long, tough golf course, demanding. So that kind of suits me if it’s that way. If I get to hit the driver a bit more, that’s to my advantage.”
Scott started Sunday’s round four strokes adrift and pushed hard with three birdies on the back nine, but a monster putt for birdie on the 18th lipped out, giving compatriot Cullen enough breathing space to clinch the $AU1 million (£554,000) event. “It’s hard to win one tournament, let alone three years in a row,” said Scott.
“Defending [last year] was a big thrill for me. But it is very difficult to just show up and you’re going to win every year. It doesn’t happen very much.
“Unfortunately I think Thursday was a bit costly for me. I was playing a bit better than that. But it is what it is.”
SCOTSMAN TABLET AND IPHONE APPS