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BOOZ ALLEN CLASSIC

June 27, 2004

Adam Scott

POTOMAC, MARYLAND

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Congratulations on being the 2004 Booz Allen Classic Champion. A great day out there, Charles Howell came at you on the back side, but you dunked in those two birdies at the end. Why don't you just talk about our your emotions at the time and what was going through your mind.

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I was getting a little nervy there on the back nine after I missed that birdie putt on 13, I really needed to make that one, I felt, to stay three clear. Three is quite a lot but two isn't. Two is just a birdie and a bogey.

You know, for me to go on 14, I made a really good putt down the hill there on 14, and then hit a great shot into 15 and a huge par save on 16. I was feeling pretty comfortable three up, and then I watched Charles miss a par putt on 17, so then I was very comfortable and I just got to play the last two holes pretty relaxed.

But it's nice to be able to respond to a little bit of pressure. I also would have liked to have been out in front a lot more all day, but that's just the way it goes. The wind was blowing a little bit and I hit some shots that weren't my best, but I managed to get away with it and it's nice to make some putts when it counts.

Q. This may be oversimplifying things a little bit, but it seems like on Friday you kind OF smashed the course around by hitting every green and yesterday you fought your way around, and today your putter seemed to carry you through some key spots. Can you talk about how well you putted today under pressure?

ADAM SCOTT: I putted well on the back nine, I thought, really solid. After missing a little one on 2, I felt it could be one of those funny days, but I came back well after that with three birdies in a row and that put me right down and just let me play golf again.

But yeah, my putting carried me to the last five holes, really. And that's a nice feeling because, you know, that's how you win golf tournaments is with the putter. You can't do it by hitting it; you can't get it in the hole. So I can take a lot of confidence out of that.

Q. Can you take us through 13 real quick, what was going on on the path? It was a pretty big par save it turned out to be.

ADAM SCOTT: It was never going to be anything but a par, I don't think, after where I hit my second shot to. It was a bit of a letdown because I 3 putted for par. But I got a good break and it clipped the tree and kept it going straight coming through there. You know, it could have gone anywhere I guess, but that's a bit of winner's luck. I think everyone who wins gets a good break and that was probably my big break, I hit the tree and kept going straight. One of these things that either comes off or it doesn't. But I felt confident, and ashamed to 3 putt, but I made up for it in the end.

Q. Charles said that you guys had been friends for a long time and he came to speak to you afterwards and felt like you would be having a lot of duels in the future. Does it feel like something that's going to go on for a long time?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, there's no question that Charles and I will be out there playing against each other for a long time. You know, as soon as I saw Charles make birdie on the back nine, I thought this could be his round. I know he birdied six holes in a row at another tournament a couple years back to get in a playoff to finish, and so I expected him to go, because he really hit some good shots. It was out there today.

It may be the start of a bit of a rivalry on the golf course, but as you said, we are pretty good friends.

Q. Five in a row is pretty good.

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it is. When it gets down to two shots and it felt like I couldn't quite get it in the hole and I was nearly having to force it a bit, and that's when you can get yourself in a bit of trouble. But I managed to stay patient enough where I got on 14, and that was what I needed to kick me on for the last few holes.

Q. It looked like Olin gave you a little grief about putting out on last hole. Was that a brain cramp or what happened there?

ADAM SCOTT: I figured he marked that short one, he marked his first. So I thought, well, if I make it anyway, then he's going to have to putt out after I putt out. So I just got it out of the way. You know, didn't want him to have to worry about anything.

You know, he did a good job of finishing that out for me. I didn't want to feel bad. (Laughter.)

Q. What does this do for you going into the British Open?

ADAM SCOTT: It's a nice turnaround for me. It's only been one week since I missed the cut at the U.S. Open and that was pretty disappointing. Really, I'm not going to have high expectations at the British Open. I just want to go over there and play two really solid days and get myself into position for the weekend.

Q. Did you feel like you were a victim of high expectations at Augusta?

ADAM SCOTT: At Augusta? No, not really. I just really played poorly, and I was a little burned out from THE PLAYERS, not directly from THE PLAYERS, but just what happened afterwards, after THE PLAYERS. I said it back then; it's something that I've got to learn, what comes with a win. You need that couple of days off afterward to get away from everything. I just went straight up to Atlanta and Augusta and had practice rounds and then up to Atlanta and I was a little burned out and I think it caught up with me.

Q. It looked like on 14, you reached for the driver instinctively, did Tony shove that back down?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. Yeah. I wanted to hit driver pretty bad there, but I thought I'd listen to the wise man, Tony.

Q. You've won three times now in a fairly short period of time, when you first came on TOUR, did you think it could happen as quickly as it has for you?

ADAM SCOTT: No, not really. Guys can play really well out here for years and never get a win. I mean, Craig Parry was out here, what, ten years or something and then he finally broke through. There's a lot of luck involved in winning.

I think Boston was a big breakthrough because you can get stuck in the position of finishing high up and not quite passing it for a long time. I think when you finally get that win, you can do it. And Craig won again this year and I've managed to keep it going a little bit.

Q. A lot of people think you are the best player under 25 in the world right now, and there is sort of a burden of expectation, do you feel that in any sense at all or in terms of the comparisons with Tiger and all of that, same former coach?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, right, that's nice that I can be up there. I think there may be three of us, three of us who are probably fighting it out, Charles, Sergio and myself, are probably right up at the top there with the guys who are under 25. I don't really feel any expectation to be the best player under 25. That's just something you guys make up. (Laughter.)

Q. But in terms of the Tiger comparisons?

ADAM SCOTT: No, really, any comparison to Tiger is a compliment, but it's not realistic to think of. Tiger is an exceptional player and an exception to everyone. You know, I don't look at his record and try and tick them off as I go because that's probably never going to happen.

Q. Do you think you'll hear from Greg Norman and what do you think he might say?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I spoke to Greg last night and he was all over me because he didn't like my chipping action after his chipping lesson at Sawgrass yesterday. So I tried to tighten that up for him a little bit today. I think he'll be pretty happy.

He'll be happy for Tony, as well. Tony got out here for a win and I think they will be going at it pretty hard next week in Chicago.

Q. Did your mindset change on the back nine when Charles started to make a run? Did you feel yourself getting more aggressive with it or were you just playing the same way all day?

ADAM SCOTT: I got a little more aggressive. I tried to force a couple of putts early on the back nine and they didn't go but I made them coming back. I went for that shot on 13 for the green in two and I managed to pull it off but didn't take advantage, and then I wanted to rip that driver out on 14 and knock it up there. But that's where I said it was good that I managed to stay patient and hang in there because I got a couple to fall for me. I was getting a little anxious. I really needed a birdie and it was good that it came at 14 because the last few holes are quite tough.

Q. You've now won three times in nine months over here. Talk a little bit about how you played over in Europe and played over there to get ready for coming here and how it's paying off?

ADAM SCOTT: When I first turned pro, I wasn't good enough to play on this tour. I had to swallow some pride and agree with people who thought that and packed myself over to Europe there, which has been fantastic for me, because I've met some great friends on that tour over there and I fit in very well.

Coming from Australia and the English connection, it's a little closer to home maybe than America. I fit in very well, and I started out playing well over there and built up a lot of confidence. And I won a few times and that made the trips back to America, took some of the pressure off and coming back here. And then finally in Boston I managed to get my card and get a win.

Q. Some deeper background, but how often have you been home, and do you plan to see mom and dad any time in the near future and do some celebrating about the season and how well it's gone?

ADAM SCOTT: I went home after Augusta for four weeks, which is the first time I've ever gone home during the year and I actually had always planned to do that I spoke to them at THE PLAYERS Championship. That's a new thing for me this year. I'm going to go home again after Boston for a couple of weeks. Actually, my parents are going to come over to that event, Boston, this year, so that's the next time I'll see them.

Q. Any thought of them moving over here so they can watch you more often?

ADAM SCOTT: No. I think they are pretty happy back there in Australia.

Q. Compared to some of the other Australian players that have come through over the years, and even Australian tennis players, you seem pretty reserved. Does that personality help you on the golf course? Do you end to not be as aggressive at times as maybe Greg was when he was in his heyday?

ADAM SCOTT: A little bit. I think your personality comes out a little bit in your golf game. I kind of think to myself that I've played with controlled aggression and that's kind of how I am as a person, I guess. I'm quite reserved, like you said. But look at Retief Goosen last week; he's horizontal out there. (Laughter.) It's unbelievable. But that works for him. You know, that's how he plays his best golf. I think just being yourself is an important thing and that let's you play your game.

Tiger gets off on getting pumped up and making putts and getting the crowd riled up behind him and that's how he plays good.

You know, I get pumped up out there, too, but I feel if I get too pumped up, I'm going to do something stupid and spoil it all, so I keep it pretty controlled.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Adam, let's go through your birdies and bogeys, starting with the bogey on No. 2.

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I hit a driver and a 5 iron and a lob wedge in the green side bunker, blasted out to about three feet and missed it.

3, that was a 4 iron, 30 feet.

4, 2 iron, 9 iron, 20 feet.

5, 3 wood, lob wedge, five feet.

9, 8 iron over the green and chip and two putts.

14 3 iron, sand wedge and 15 feet.

15, driver, wedge and four feet.

17, 7 iron and ten feet.

Q. What was the second shot on 13?

ADAM SCOTT: The second shot was a 5 iron.

Q. When was Tony first week on the bag?

ADAM SCOTT: In Germany at the Deutsche Bank. I think this is our fifth week together this week.

Q. (Inaudible.)

ADAM SCOTT: No, I reached for it, I said, "Do you like driver at the trap?"

And he said "No, not really." So just kind of put it back in. I thought he was pretty serious about that. So I took a 3 iron out.

Q. How often does he say something that that's a word that caddies never use; has he ever said "no, not really" to you before?

ADAM SCOTT: I think it's the same for caddies. They have to have believe in their own ability, and for a caddy to say that on the 14th hole on Sunday when you have a two shot lead is pretty big, but that's why he's one of best caddies out there. He's been in that position so many times the last 24 years or whatever he's been out here.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Since you were around.

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, since I was around. Yeah, he knows what he was doing.

Q. If Tiger Woods is, say, elevated in his emotions, and Retief is horizontal, where are you, somewhere between?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I think I'm somewhere between. Absolutely. I get excited. You saw it at THE PLAYERS Championship. I kind of keep it in reserve until I can really get excited about it. Didn't get me wrong, your juices are definitely flowing out there. And I was feeling it on the back nine today, and I hit a couple of bad shots and that makes them even worse.

Q. Which iron did you hit off No. 12 off the tee? Was it 300 yards?

ADAM SCOTT: Maybe. The fairways were getting firm today. It was dry and windy. That thing is like a rocket, that 2 iron of mine. It gets out there pretty good.

Q. You talked about English connection; is your family part English?

ADAM SCOTT: Not really. A couple generations.

Q. Not your mom?

ADAM SCOTT: No. They are Australian.

Q. Did you have any idea that the tournament record

ADAM SCOTT: No, I had no idea. I don't deserve to get it when I miss the first putt. I'm just happy to win. I tied it, so that's a nice thing, anyway.

Q. How close was your tee shot at 16 from being in real trouble, not that close?

ADAM SCOTT: No, I was kind of lucky. There wasn't too much tall, tall grass over there. I got a good break, and, you know, I didn't hit the best next shot, either, but I played on the safe side and that let me have some green to work with to get it up and down.

Q. Those were the two winner's breaks that you were calling them, was there anything else that you put in that category?

ADAM SCOTT: No. That was a good break on 16 that just stayed I was in the second cut, but was sitting okay and people had been walking through there. It was all right. That and 13 was two really good breaks for me. It was a bad shot, but I knew the water was a long way right and my ball was a long way right, as well. Yeah, it's a good break, definitely.

JOAN vT ALEXANDER: Again, thank you, Adam for joining us and congratulations.

End of FastScripts.

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