HE might have the seniors’ tour somewhere in the back of his mind.
Yet there is certainly another major championship win in Adam Scott.
And it would take a brave punter to suggest it’s a bridge too far. Because Adam Scott loves beating the odds.
As he prepares to tee it up for his 100th successive major, few golfers in the world can match his resume.
Scott only has one major championship but, let’s face it, he should have at least a couple more – had his putter behaved.
His 2013 Masters victory remains one of Australia’s most treasured major wins.
And at the age of 45 he has proven me wrong more than 100 times and I now concede another major championship is still within reach for the Queensland star.
He’s the same age as another Aussie ace Aaron Baddeley . . . and that has already cost me plenty.
When the late, great Australian golf writer Phil Tresidder once hailed Scott as our future superstar, almost 25 years ago, I scoffed.
“He won’t match Baddeley,” I said.
A bet was struck that whenever they played a major, there would be a lottery ticket riding on the result.
I eventually surrendered and here we are 26 years later and Scott continues to haunt me.
After the US PGA, the best players in the world head to Shinnecock Hills for the US Open and Scott’s 100th consecutive major appearance in the only events that really matter when golf history is discussed.
And Scott does give himself a chance.
“I’m feeling good about all those things, it’s all positive stuff,” Scott said when discussing his US Open prospects at the recent Cadillac Championship.
“To win a major I’m going to need to put four days together, not just a weekend coming from behind.
“And I feel like my game is there.
“I’m doing all the things that I think I need to do to be in that kind of condition.
“It’s important to keep this confidence going and hopefully have four good days and you just never know.”
Scott says a lot has changed in his life over the past 10 years – mostly for the better.
“I now have three kids and a lot’s gone on away from the golf course,” he said. “A lot’s gone on at the golf course too.
“It’s been a decade of constantly trying to figure out this game. I’m happy to be out here still doing it”.
Scott feels he has done part of the job by staying healthy as well as fit and strong and relevant to the modern game.
“I think there’s a big difference between being 35 and 45,” he said.
“At 35 you are looking at like a Rory McIlroy-type age where you’re still really in your prime.
“I still feel like I can play at a high level, but I’m looking to lift the ceiling a little bit and get in there and win again.
“It is more demanding.
“I think in the past 10 years as well the young players, the amount of young players that can compete has increased a lot.
“I don’t know what that number is, but I would say more than doubled.
“The guys in their 20s are that much better, there are a lot more of ‘em, so it’s definitely getting tougher out here.”
Scott is still aiming high at Shinnecock.
“I would rather celebrate winning the US Open than just playing in it,” he said.
“I feel like that, but, you know, I can give myself a pat on the back for hanging in there and playing all these events.
“I think there’s some luck in it, but I think I’ve had generally great advice around me from a physical and training standpoint that’s kept me healthy and pretty much injury-free.
“I don’t really have any niggles and things that are concerning. Certainly not to the point of can I play this week or not.
“I’m still, like my head’s still really in, like I should be able to compete and win these things, so maybe I don’t see it as much of an accomplishment.
“But I guess if you ask someone who is at two majors it seems like a long way away.
“I’ll give myself a pat on the back, but I would love to still win.”
Scott does compare himself to former US Open winner Justin Rose, who went so close to winning the Masters this year before succumbing to McIlroy.
“I’m still motivated to continue pushing, and seeing Justin push and get so close is motivation for me as well,” he said.
“Our careers have been almost paralleling each other for 25 years, so I don’t know which one of us is going to give up the ghost first.
“For the moment we’ll keep pushing.”
Scott says he’s not content to concede defeat at any event just yet.
“I would hate to finish my career not content,” he says. “I feel like I’ve put in a lot of good stuff, but I feel like there is still something big left in me.
“So that is worth pushing for.”
And Scott gave his mother some of the credit for his longevity in the game.
“I guess my mum [Pam] taught me everything in moderation,” he said.
“I don’t know if that’s good for the highest-level sport, but it is for longevity. Maybe some of that philosophy has kept me going.
“I think I’ve been fortunate. I’ve generally had really good people around me, and that and my own intuition for things.
“I’ve done nothing too radical; I’ve kind of evolved.”
Scott says he explained to his wife Marie that the hard work would have its rewards.
“I’m out here working hard. I love it though,” he said.
“I love the lifestyle. I love being in the gym. I love being on the golf course. It doesn’t feel like hard work even though I’m putting some hours in.”
The amazing part about this is that Scott feels his best game might still be ahead of him.
“I know that sounds crazy. But overall, I mean, on a good putting day I think I can — my golf game tee to green and short game is better than ever,” he said.
“A lot lies in the putter, a roll or two here or there, so I’m trying to be patient and wait for those four days to come together.”
Lock it in – Scott to play 100th major in a row
ANY doubt as to Adam Scott teeing it up in his 100th consecutive major championship was dismissed with his fourth placing in the Cadillac Championship, one of the PGA Tour’s signature events.
Scott closed with an 8-under par 64 at Doral on Sunday, a round which pushed him towards the top of the leaderboard and as a result, he made the jump from 54 to 43 on the Official World Golf Rankings list.
With the top 60 players on the OWGR as of May 18, the conclusion of the PGA Championship, guaranteed spot in the US Open field, ranked 49, Scott is assured of being at Shinnecock Hills in June in achieving a remarkable career milestone.
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