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THE BARCLAYSAugust 20, 2014Adam ScottPARAMUS, NEW JERSEY CHRIS REIMER: We welcome our defending champion, Adam Scott, to The Barclays. Different course, is it strange at all defending a championship on a different course? ADAM SCOTT: Maybe slightly, but I guess it happens at some tournaments. The majors are a bit like that but I'm sure those guys haven't felt less special not going back to the same course, so why not be the same for me here. The Barclays is a really important event as far as the PGA TOUR season goes and it's important, it's in the FedExCup and it was a big win for me last year and set me up for a great run in the Playoffs, and I'm looking for exactly the same here again. It's a great week. Ridgewood is lovely and in great shape and I think we are in for a good tournament. Q. Getting sick last year in THE TOUR Championship, is there any unfinished business in the FedExCup and something you need to put a stamp on this year? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it will feel like I've achieved something this year. Obviously to go through and not win a major when my mind was really set on that, it was disappointing. But there's always something to play for, whether it's this week or over the next month.  I'd like to walk away with at least another PGA TOUR win this season and hopefully maybe two and a FedExCup would be‑‑ would validate how well I kind of feel like I'm playing and maybe haven't quite got the results that I felt I could have. Q. Do you feel a sense of bad luck that you were in a such a great spot, and then having the stomach flu? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I was gone by Saturday morning at THE TOUR Championship, which was a shame; and Henrik was playing amazing, and of course he could have gone on to win anyway. But I felt my chances were kind of gone that Saturday morning before I teed off. That's the way it goes I guess. But hopefully I'll be in good health this year and I can give it a good crack. Q. Going back to what you just said, is there any sense of disappointment in this season or is it still a lot to go‑‑ would the FedExCup really change it around for you? ADAM SCOTT: I don't think it's really disappointing as much as not satisfying. I don't know if there's even a difference. You know, I think you look at what some of the guys have done in Majors this year, they have taken an upper level to do that, and I've realized that although I played consistently well at the big tournaments the last few years, I need to lift my game again. So I think I've learned a little bit where the game is going and can see that, and hopefully I'll adjust accordingly. Looking at the run like Rory has been on the last few weeks, would be a good time to do that myself now and make a real run at the FedExCup and get my name on that trophy. That's the result we're all looking for. Q. Last year it felt like you were the biggest figure in golf and I think that continued this year as you made your run to No. 1 in the world and all of a sudden Rory does this crazy run. Do you feel overshadowed now, and is it strange to you how quickly things can change? ADAM SCOTT: It's not strange at all how things change. Everyone is extremely reactive to everything now, and what Rory's done is phenomenal and worthy of all the attention he gets and I think he's the rightful No. 1 golfer in the world at the moment. It's funny because the week before The Open, it was the Friday curse and he's cursed (laughter) and since he's been blessed I guess. You know, everyone is so reactive over things, and you've got to take a long‑term view on some things. But the short term is important, as well, and I feel for me and my position and what I want to achieve in the game, I need to lift my game quickly and get a win here or in the next few weeks and show a guy like Rory who is kind of stretching away from the rest of us that someone is going to go with him. Otherwise he could get in a real level of comfort, and it would be very tough for all of us to play against him full of confidence, full of flight and not worrying about everyone else. Q. You talk about lifting your game. From your point of view, does your Masters victory seem like a long time ago? With all that's transpired since then, does it feel like it's been a long time? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it does, actually. I think now that we've gone through another year, seven Majors ago is kind of how I see that. That's a lot. If you asked me Sunday night at the Masters when I won, if I would win one of the next seven, I could have assured you I would, but it hasn't happened that way, and that's not a surprise now. It's just the way the game is. It's not easy to win. When you're winning, you think it's a piece of cake. So it feels‑‑ it does, it does feel like a long time but I've played a lot of good golf in that, and I think I've become a better golfer off the back of the Masters, so that's a good thing overall. Q. What's the value of winning the FedExCup? Not looking for a monetary figure. ADAM SCOTT: Look, I think the FedExCup is still young. It's developing. It's early stages. But the value will be at the end of your career to say you've won this event. And already with the list of winners, there are some really prominent figures in the game of golf who have won the FedExCup, and it's going to be a trophy full of great names, and I'd like to be on it. So it's one of those things. That's the value of being No. 1. It's something that you look back on one day as a good achievement. Q. When you have a case, and Tiger has done it a couple times, when you have someone who has clearly had a dominant season, and doesn't win the FedExCup because it's hard to win, does it lessen the perception of what the FedExCup is all about? ADAM SCOTT: If you analyze it, absolutely, sure. Q. That's what we do. ADAM SCOTT: Oh, that's what you do? (Laughter). If you analyze it, for sure. But it's geared around what people want to see and volatility and TV and it come down to a shootout. I think the way the world it, be it all reactive, they would rather see a four‑week shootout than something going for 40 weeks and have a guy dominate and there's nothing to talk about because by June you know what the outcome is going to be. I think it's all geared around that. And we're in the entertainment business so we need to entertain. Q. Apologies if this has already been asked, but Stevie Williams, bumped into him at the airport and I said, what's your schedule going forward with Adam, is this the end of it or have you worked out next season and how that's going to work out, the part‑time in a nature and if there is someone else that's going to come in on the team. ADAM SCOTT: The question is? Q. Well, with Stevie, is this the last four weeks together? Do you have a plan for next year? He was talking about going part‑time or shutting it down a bit. ADAM SCOTT: Sure, he's going to see the rest of the year out, so we've got some events beyond and hopefully I can talk him into coming back next year. I'd like to do that. As far as part‑time and everything, I don't think we've really touched on that. I think you're either in or you're out. But you know, I think I can talk him into coming back next year hopefully. Q. Are you looking at contingencies if it doesn't worked out? ADAM SCOTT: No, I haven't looked at anything like that. I'd like to have Steve caddie for me that's for sure. CHRIS REIMER: Ben's available. ADAM SCOTT: Hang on, let me just put him on the list (laughter). Q. If we're all being so reactive, including to your No. 1 status, how do you remain so patient? ADAM SCOTT: I think just through playing golf and looking at things kind of objectively. Of course there's emotion and there's disappointment and elation, as well, when things go. Well but it's like I said, I thought I was going to win every major right off the bat since winning the Masters and I haven't won in the last seven. That's when you take the emotion out and it comes down to realizing there's a long career ahead of you. Can't think that way, but they can add up over time nicely and if I keep pushing myself, I believe you can get on these little runs here and there, much like Rory has been on; he's had a career in four weeks. That's a Hall of Fame career in four weeks out here. That's amazing golf. That's what I'm aiming to do, the stuff that he's doing is what I would like to aim to do and hopefully when you add it all up and I can't play out here anymore, I have got a handful of big events under my name. Q. Somebody talked about how you realized you have to lift your game and take it to another level again etc., but you haven't exactly said what you've done or what you're doing specifically to reach that part. So can you enlighten me on that? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I think that you've got to look at all aspects on where you can improve, and I think there's room for improvement in everything. Some of it's my strategy on the golf course. Some of it's the equipment I'm playing with, moving into the new Titleist driver this week. Just gaining a little bit out of that, keeping control and gaining a few yards I think could help. Whether it's hitting a 9‑iron or a wedge, my proximity is going to be just that little bit better with a wedge and any chance of making it is better. And all of those things add up: And where I'm aggressive and where I'm conservative on the course, you have got to look at all those kind of things, and realize a little bit what some of the other guys are doing around you and react to the conditions on the golf course a little bit, whether it rains or whether it firms out, those kind of things. You know, just be a little more in tune with everything that's going on. Q. It's been said, and certainly was in the spring, that you and Rory were probably two of the best drivers of the golf ball in the game right now. What do you see as the differences between the two of you in that aspects? ADAM SCOTT: In driving? Rory probably hits it longer than me. And he should, because he's nine years younger than me. He's put on a clinic the last few weeks in how to drive the golf ball. And it's motivating for me because I can see what's possible. I believe if he can do it, I can do it for sure, and driving is my strength and no doubt, switching to the new driver this week, the 915 from Titleist will be adding a little yardage for sure. And I think I can't handle him hitting it 35 by me; 20 is okay. But most important thing is you're keeping it straight, as well. 300‑plus in the fairway is a huge advantage on the PGA TOUR, and that's the main thing that you're getting that short club into the green so you can give yourself a chance at birdie. Q. Do you see yourself as a naturally aggressive player, or are you somebody that has to remind yourself to be aggressive at times? ADAM SCOTT: I think naturally I am an aggressive player, but I think through years on TOUR, strategy has become a big part of it and I've used that to my advantage. I'm more conservative than probably when I was 16; you played somewhat fearless golf. I think the way I've seen the guys win the Majors this year, they have played fearless golf. I think Bubba had it right dialed in at August and he played down the stretch pretty fearless. And Martin Kaymer just free‑wheeled the whole week and blew everyone away at the U.S. Open. And Rory at The Open Championship, opening up with driver off first and bombing it down, he just played fearless golf. I think I've got to kind of flick that switch on a little bit where you just let go and play and let the hard work and the talent fall into place on the golf course and give myself a chance to go out and make a ton of birdies, because they all are, every week. CHRIS REIMER: Thanks, Adam, good luck this week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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