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MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 4, 2017

Adam Scott

Augusta, Georgia

MODERATOR: Adam, as you know, 13 PGA TOUR victories, 2013 Masters Champion, 28 worldwide victories, nine Top‑10s last year. It seems like yesterday that you and I sat here, four years ago, after you slipped on the green jacket. But a lot's changed in that time. You've become a father. You got married.
Tell us, share with us, a little bit about your mind‑set today compared to four years ago.
ADAM SCOTT: In some ways, it's exactly the same mind‑set. But in other ways, I am probably more relaxed coming here and sitting, talking to you before the start of a tournament. Winning the Masters was a lifelong dream and to get a major championship was so rewarding and I feel like I come here with everything to gain now, which is a really nice feeling.
A lot has changed away from the course for me in those four years, like you mentioned, and they are all positive things. However, like everyone in every job, balancing out, trying to perform at the highest level and the responsibility away from that is at times challenging, like everyone faces. I think I'll always continue to learn how to balance that the best.
But coming in here this week, I haven't played a lot this year and I haven't played at my best. But my mind this year has been all about peaking here.
Last year, I was coming in kind of hot and my best golf wasn't here. So I'm hoping it's different this year, and I've stayed really patient and not got too frustrated with my average play. I've seen enough good stuff to know that when I get out there Thursday, a lot of good feelings for me here at this golf course, and I like where my game has fallen just in the last couple of days.
It's exciting to be here playing the Masters, no matter who you are. I feel I have that extra bit of confidence being past champion.

Q. How much concern do you put on missing a cut the week before the Masters? Is it a huge deal? Is it not? What are some of the things that maybe concern you about it?
ADAM SCOTT: You never like to miss a cut full stop. But, you know, I think like I've heard Jordan talk about, going to use it to your advantage and I certainly did.
I got here Saturday evening. I did a practice session in Houston on Saturday, got here Saturday evening and played Sunday, beautiful conditions and really found the game I was looking for. So although I don't know how a weekend would have worked for me at Houston, it could have been a good thing, it could have been a tough thing; it wasn't easy out there. I haven't quite got my game together, obviously, but I use those couple days to my advantage and feel very comfortable with where things are at.
A missed cut by one shot is nothing. It's all fractions in this game. So you can't let it affect your confidence too much. Like I said, I'm just trying to save my best stuff for here.

Q. Can I just ask, is this the most confident you've been short game‑wise coming to Augusta? Your stats are looking pretty good this year in that regard?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, that's been a big focus of mine for the first few months of this year and I've seen some improvements, certainly, in stats and just generally how I feel about it. So that's nice.
I'd say it's as confident as I was when I was, you know, back winning this tournament or World No. 1. Obviously, when you're in those positions, your short game is pretty sharp. So I feel like I've taken it back up to that kind of level and confidence is high.
Yeah, maybe my long game suffered a little because my focus shifted. But like I said last couple of days, I've kind of fallen back into the right spot with that and feel like each day I'm just grooving out a little bit better. So I like where my game is at coming in. I'm certainly flying way under the radar but that's absolutely fine.

Q. You said you hit the ball the best you have all year in the last couple of days. Is there a catalyst for that change? Is there a person or a swing thought or anything that's making you feel really good?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I just worked really hard. For me, my whole game is maybe obvious, but based around my own fundamentals which start with my setup position. If I get myself in a good athletic setup position, I naturally swing the club quite well with no thought.
Just got a little out of position starting off and therefore had to make some compensations in the swing and very hard to repeat. Worked very hard and looked at some old footage of last year when I felt really good over the ball, which was most of last year and tried to get my body and spine angles and things like that back in that kind of position.
And once I did, although it felt a little bit tricky for a day there on Saturday in Houston, it's really fallen into place and I feel strong over the ball, like I can make a confident move through it and I'm not steering the ball toward the target. I'm just hitting straight through it.

Q. When has your swing been technically its best and how close is it right now to that point?
ADAM SCOTT: Look, lots of moments throughout‑‑ it's evolved. My body's changed. I'm not a 21‑year‑old who can bend over backwards anymore. So at different points, at all stages of my career, it's been technically really good.
Obviously I played really great tee‑to‑green last year in the spring. There was a period from 2010 to 2015 where I just thought it was always really good, really solid. That's what we're trying to do all the time. I mean, my results show through those years, but it was very consistent, very repeatable and that's what I'm looking for.

Q. When you return here annually, what are the things you prioritize in trying to get reacquainted with on the golf course, and also specifically the 13th tee shot, can you tell us what your thinking is on your priority on that tee shot? Is it getting around the corner? Is it just giving yourself a shot at the green or is it trying to get close to the creek for a flatter lie? Just sort of your overall strategy on that tee shot.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, the couple things that really come to mind as I think about that quickly is the severity of the slope on the fairway and standing on uneven lies. Sunday here, my second shot into 2, I had a perfect tee shot and I had a 3‑iron into the green, and as I walked into the bowl, I was shocked at how severe the downslope was and had to back off and completely readjust to how I was going to hit the shot. It's very severe, even though it doesn't look it, because there's so much slope everywhere else, I think you can sometimes be fooled. That's one of the big things.
The other thing for me is when I look at my aim points off tees, I think of 10 especially, there's been a branch up in the top of a tree that I look at every year to get that line. That's an important tee shot to kind of have to move one, and so I just check that that same branch is there and if it's not, I don't know what I'll do. But it was there again this year, a little U‑shape up in the top of the trees there through the fairway.
Those kind of eye lines and comfort things that have obviously been in the last five or six years really comfortable for me here, I check those. I've felt very comfortable getting back on the greens this year, probably more so than ever. I feel like now I'm really getting a good understanding of the fall lines and the few little nuances they have here, because obviously they are very tricky at times. So I feel very comfortable with that.
And they are the kind of things‑‑ but my level of comfort here the last five years has grown so much, and now it's far less daunting coming here than in the past.

Q. And 13th tee shot?
ADAM SCOTT: It's really condition‑dependent. If there's a little help, I like to hit the driver and aim it at the kind of corner of the trees through the fairway, and if it draws, then it's perfect. And if it doesn't, it's 50/50 it might get a bounce to the left in the grass and it might go in the pine straw. But I think if there's a bit of help, I can hit it long enough. I know I can carry the corner of the trees, not the highest point like Dustin Johnson hits it over, but I can get across the corner and it's worth trying to get a 7‑ or an 8‑iron in on a helping wind. And if it's not helping, I'm very comfortable just hitting a 3‑wood pretty straight. It's now 200‑maybe‑yard run‑out up there, if you just hit a nice 3‑wood, it shouldn't run out. So it's not a real priority for me to turn it around the corner.

Q. If you could complete the phrase: Being a Masters Champion is better than...
ADAM SCOTT: Most everything.
I don't really know that I could do it justice by completing a silly line like that. It's an incredible achievement for me, something I'm very proud of and a real honor; think about tonight, sitting up there with all the champions, it's a pretty special moment that I think every champion relishes.

Q. You're obviously a highly‑respected person and player out here on TOUR all the time. Do you feel when you come here, almost a heightened sense of reverence from your peers? Do you feel different as that Masters Champion?
ADAM SCOTT: I don't know. I don't really pay attention. If I think back to the days when I was in the other locker room downstairs there, I definitely looked up to all the people who were upstairs.
You know, missed my friend Trevor Immelman after he won, he was gone. Didn't see him all week and was incredibly jealous and envious of him sitting upstairs with everyone.
I think there's definitely some awareness of the guys who are downstairs in the locker room as to what's going on upstairs there. I don't feel like I get treated any different from them. But certainly I felt a sense of awe towards that upstairs locker room.

Q. Do you get to have a little bit of fun at the guys' expense down there, as is the Aussie way?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, occasionally. It's awfully chilly in the clubhouse and the green jacket keeps you nice and warm. A little tour through the grill and the locker room doesn't hurt.

Q. This is obviously not your first time you've had the arrangement with Steve around the majors, but what does he bring to your game in a week at Augusta, and is it just technical stuff around the course and the course knowledge, or is it mental and psychological help, as well?
ADAM SCOTT: He brings the same stuff he's brought every year since he's worked for me. Steve is obviously one of most accomplished caddies out here, most experienced. He's incredibly thorough, and his focus on what he's doing and his disciplines, also instill that in me out there. That's a big part of what we believe it takes to contend and win majors. So I feel that's obviously a great benefit to me.
You know, so many things to talk about the way Steve caddies and his little processes that make him so confident out there, which then shows me how confident he is and how confident I can be, and making me feel like I'm the best player out there and I can hit the shot that's required, all these kind of things.
Yeah, I guess it's technical and therefore has a psychological effect, too.

Q. Transitioning from your normal caddie to Steve, has it got easier as you've done it more often, if that makes sense?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, last year was the first year I did the two caddies and, you know, I definitely made some observations at the end of last year when I reflected on things and made some changes accordingly to do it again this year. I think for me at this point, there's good benefit obviously because I'm doing it and hopefully a couple of the changes I made to scheduling and when Steve comes out and everything, pays off.
This is where we're at and he knows where my game is at last week. He's not coming in completely blind. That may have been an obvious mistake but it was something I didn't think about too heavily beforehand.
But this year, we're well acquainted now and have spent some good time together over the last ten days. I think we're on the same page. It doesn't take long. I think we work really well together. So you know, he always looks for my best performance, and I'm determined to show him that this week.

Q. You've spent a fair bit of time now with Curtis Luck. This is his last tournament as an amateur. Do you feel he's ready for pro life?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, absolutely I do. I think a lot of Curtis's game. He's got a lot of game, too. I think he's won on the biggest stage as an amateur. It's time now for him to move on and challenge himself to the next level.
This is going to be a great experience for him, another good test to see at the absolute highest level where his game is at, and I hope he gets his opportunities and starts; I'm sure he will, in the upcoming months.
I really feel he's got the opportunity, if he just ticks a few of the right boxes in the next few months, he can be another breakout star, just like a Jon Rahm or any of these, Jordan Spieth. It's impossible to say how good he can be because I think we're always constantly surprised by someone every year now who performs better than anyone may have thought.

Q. What would a second green jacket mean to yourself and also to a proud sporting nation like Australia?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, you know, to get two major championships would be an incredible feeling. Two green jackets puts you in some pretty elite company in the world of golf. You know, again, I think‑‑ I don't know, it feels like the personal satisfaction at this point would be very high for me in that; the hard work that I feel I've put into my game, not just over the last month or two, but over another long period of time. They are not easy to come by.
You look at the guys who have showed form as good as we've ever seen this year, a few different guys. So it's not going to be easy, but I'm definitely up for it. I think it will just be fun for Australia, obviously the first one was a big deal but we're pretty much up for a celebration any time down there. It would be great.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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