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THE BARCLAYS

August 27, 2016

Adam Scott

Farmingdale, New York

Q. A former winner of The Barclays and a hot round today moves you right up the leaderboard. How much fun was that putting yourself right in the mix there?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it feels good. I feel like it's been a while since I've really been in the mix. I'm always finding myself five or six back from getting momentum. But a few putts went in today, that fixes that, and hopefully I'm in with a shout tomorrow.

Q. Let's have a look at some of the putts that did go in, two in particular, this one on 12.
ADAM SCOTT: That's to make up for the first two days because it was pretty bleak out there. But finally got a few to the hole and occasionally they go in. It's quick, but on line.

Q. What felt different on the greens today as we have a look at this one on 15.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I just really tried to clear my mind. When you're not making them and they are always a little bit short, you start thinking about too many things and stroke and line, feel, speed, all this kind of stuff. I just thought, for goat about it all and just go with instinct.

Q. You talked at the start of the week about how you felt this course really matched up to your game. How excited are you now heading into tomorrow?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it really does suit my game, and that's why the first couple days was a little frustrating. Interestingly, I didn't drive it as good today. I was in the rough a lot more but got a bit lucky with some good lies and managed to get up on the green. If I can kind of put it all together, maybe there's a good score like this; I'll probably need that to get up there tomorrow.

Q. How has the FedEx developed since its inception in 2007? What does this stretch of tournaments mean to you?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it has developed. New things take a while to catch on and there were some changes made over the first few years. Now you're seeing guys make decisions to prioritize these events, and this one in particular with the points adjusted, it's one of the biggest moves you can make in the FedEx.

I'm in good shape. It would be great to kind of lock up a top place almost this week, if I managed to get a win.

Q. 6-under par. Golf is a funny game, you only make 88 feet of putts the first two days and 150 today.
ADAM SCOTT: It is a funny game, because I thought I played some really good stuff the first two days. Obviously didn't get much reward, not making any putts at all. Today, although I still felt I played good, I just missed a few fairways, got some good lies. Managed to get them on the green and then dropped a couple bombs. Once a few go in, it changes everything, and certainly feels good. Hopefully I can keep the mind clear and free and the putts rolling tomorrow.

Q. You missed a bunch of fairways, but seems like you missed them on the right side, at least left you angles into the greens.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, that wasn't really the plan to miss on the right side. But I did, and you know, just wasn't quite as tight as I was the first two days with my driving. But still feels good. The swing's good. I think if I just square up the aim a little bit and go with this trust feeling, I'll be in good shape.

Q. How much has this golf course changed over three days?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it's definitely changing. The greens have firmed a little bit for sure. It to the getting away from us, though. I think it's playing really great. It's just like a natural progression as the week goes on of firming up and asking a couple more questions.

I got away with being in the rough today. I'm pretty sure on a Sunday, I'm not going to get away with it, so I need to hit a few more fairways.

Q. You have the clubhouse low so far today. What was clicking for you?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, I got off to a great start. I holed my wedge on the first and set the tone for the day. I wanted to take advantage of that and I did. I kept it going and turned in 4-under. I had the tougher back nine in front of me, but I've played well all week.

I just haven't holed any putts, and then I holed two long ones on the back nine. Feels really good. I just freed my mind up a little with the putter today and just thought, I'll see what happens, and they went in.

Q. The first two days out here, is it a little bit of knocking off rust since you haven't played in a few weeks, or is that what really came around for you today?
ADAM SCOTT: Not so much. I played really great the first two days. I putted not well, really, if you look at the stats, and that was the difference. That's been the story of my year since the Masters. But I felt it's better than it's been, and today was a nice day. So hopefully I can carry that kind of momentum on the greens tomorrow and beyond.

Q. What do you do the rest of the day?
ADAM SCOTT: I'll relax. It's been hot the last couple of days, so nice now, I get a few hours to put the feet up before dinner and save some energy for tomorrow, and look forward to being in the mix hopefully, unless they run away with it.

Q. Round of the week for you on Saturday at The Barclays. What was working for you?
ADAM SCOTT: I rolled a few putts in, that's for sure. I got off to a hot start. I holed a wedge, 2-under through one; birdied the next, hit it close; birdied the next, and you've got to take advantage of that around a tough course like this. The front nine is the gettable nine, and to turn 4-under set my round up.

I knew anything under par on the back nine, I would have a great round, and that was kind of my goal with nine to go. I rolled a couple long ones in and that felt good and kept the momentum going. Hopefully something to build on for tomorrow and beyond.

Q. Was it anything that you found on the range that had such a difference in the third round, or just off to a quick start and you rode it?
ADAM SCOTT: It was a quick start and I rode it. I played great the first two days but I made no putts and I actually didn't play as well today. I didn't hit any fairways today. I got a couple good lies in the rough that I managed to get it on the green.

So I kind of got away with the errors and took advantage of the lucky breaks. Sometimes you've got to do that. For me to contend and hopefully have a chance to win tomorrow, it needs to be a bit tighter. I've got to be in the fairway a bit more.

Q. How far was it on 1 and what wedge did you hit?
ADAM SCOTT: I had 98 and I hit a lob-wedge.

Q. What does it do for you when you start your day like that?
ADAM SCOTT: Obviously it's a bonus. That's a birdie pin on 1 anyway today anyway I think on the front; you have a bit of a bowl to work with.

It's what I needed. It had kind of been a frustrating two days playing well and not being able to get anything going. And then you're given that start and two good shots on the next and four feet and you're flying. With two par 5s coming up, that's how you want to play the front nine, take advantage of the front and hold on on the back because it's a tough nine.

It just kind of worked. The bad shots, I got away with it, and the good shots, I took advantage of and holed a couple long putts on the back nine. That's kind of the difference between the way I've been playing and today. Just a few went in.

Q. How good was today for your psyche given that you were getting frustrated and you were expecting big things?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, it was good. I mean, to just simply forget about everything with the putting, technical and feel and anything, and just kind of look and stroke and not care where it went to be the answer, is nice, because I don't think there's any major issues.

It's just once more than one thought or if any thoughts creep in the head, nothing works very good in golf.

Q. Was that a conscious decision you made? When did you decide you were going to go that route?
ADAM SCOTT: On about the 15th yesterday. (Laughter).

Q. What was the epiphany?
ADAM SCOTT: I just thought, what difference does it make if I hit this past the hole, because I've left every putt short. And if it goes past, it might go in.

Q. Was that a turning point there on 15 yesterday?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I hit a good putt there that rolled at the right speed, and then I hit good putts on 16 and 17, and a fair putt on 18. That kind of continued for most of today.

Q. Can you take us through the approach on 10, the par save at 11 and the bomb at 12, because that's the toughest stretch of holes on the course.
ADAM SCOTT: 10, it was right around there, the wind was starting to switch. It started in the northeast and it was on the southeast. So they put the tee forward on 10, and I only had a little 8-iron in and I hit it to a foot. So that was a nice birdie on 10. You take that all day.

Q. The breaker at 11?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, that was a great putt to hole, breaking 2 1/2 feet or so, and just tickling in how you would imagine. And then drive it in the rough, hack it on to the front of the green and hole, I don't know, must have been 45 feet on 12.

And this is how these rounds come about on tough courses. You need some good stuff to happen and momentum going your way, and I feel like I've been fighting that all year. I just haven't had those three-hole stretches. That could easily have been 1-over with the breaks going the wrong way.

Q. What did you hit to get out of the rough on 15?
ADAM SCOTT: 15 was a wedge out of the rough. It was downwind off the tee. I think we got the good winds for this golf course. It switched for the back nine, and the tougher holes played shorter. You've got to take advantage of these things when they happen.

Q. As great of a round as you had, on 17 and 18, it could even have been better. Take us through those putts at the end.
ADAM SCOTT: 17 fooled me a bit. I thought it was quick and I didn't hit an aggressive putt at all, even if it was quick, it didn't even get to the hole down the hill. And that was a shame, because there was not much break in it. It was inside left and I had it on line and left it short.

Then 18, I thought I hit a good putt but it just kind of hung left. It's hard to be critical of that. 16 was disappointing to drop a shot; when if I somehow birdied one of the last three, a new course record. I was well aware of that. Around a golf course like this, would have been very cool to have, but I've got another chance tomorrow.

Q. Would you just characterize your year this year? It obviously has not been what you want, and how are you dealing with it psychologically, what this would mean if you take care of this tomorrow?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, I've played well all year. I just haven't putted well from the Masters through to now. I was putting better every week it felt like leading up to the Masters. It kind of plateaued there and then it's just slowly drifted into very ordinary. That's been disappointing and it's been hard to put a finger on it.

So three or four months of constant thought and working and trying, sometimes trying is not great, either; and just to let go is sometimes tough. Hopefully if that's what it is, then I can do it tomorrow. If I could finish the year off the way I started, it would salvage some of the disappointment of not really contending in the majors this year.

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