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THE MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT PRESENTED BY NATIONWIDE

June 1, 2019

Adam Scott

Dublin, Ohio

JOHN BUSH: We'd like to welcome Adam Scott into the interview room after a 6-under par, 66. Currently 13-under par through 54 holes. Adam, thanks for coming in, if we could get some comments on your round.

ADAM SCOTT: Today was a really good round. 66 around here is good any day of the week. And I felt like I played a little better today than I have the last two days. A few more opportunities that I would have liked to have taken advantage of, but all in all it was really good stuff, solid. And it would be nice to put another one like that on it tomorrow and see what happens.

Q. Is it a little bit -- 12 months is a long time given where you were last year, Martin is doing what he is doing. A bit of a blast from the past for you guys?
ADAM SCOTT: I guess so. If you think -- yeah, I mean, it's been a while since we've both won out here. So I'm sure going out tomorrow we're both really going to want to play well and come away with a win.

But also I feel like there's a little something extra being the Memorial Tournament. It's one of those events that you'd really love to have on your rÃ©sumÃ© before your career is over. So I'm excited for the chance tomorrow.

Q. What I was trying to get at very poorly, obviously, was that both of you have had a bit of a gap between -- both of you have experience winning big events. Where's the balance going into tomorrow?
ADAM SCOTT: I don't know (laughter). I don't know the answer. I'm just going to play as good as I can tomorrow. I like where it's all at. I feel like the last few times I've been in with a chance, going back to the PGA Championship last year, I felt comfortable. So I'm not worried. I feel like this is the spot I'm meant to be.

And since then, I've seen lots of good golf, and I feel like my game is at a level that, if I put it all together properly and control myself out there, I can win.

Q. This is your last -- what feels different this year?
ADAM SCOTT: Easy conditions. Soft greens. I mean, that rain early in the week just made it gettable if you were playing pretty good. And the greens have firmed up a little on some holes, but it's still pretty favorable out there.

I think the wind kind of -- the wind today made a couple of shots play tricky, and that might have separated the scores just a little bit more. But there's still lots of guys playing good, shooting good scores.

Q. Where would you say your ball-striking is at relative to some of your best ball-striking?
ADAM SCOTT: It's right there. It's getting right there. Today felt good. It's a good time for it to be getting good. But I think if I can do something like that tomorrow, then I'll say it's really good when the pressure is on a little bit.

Q. It's been five years since Martin won on Tour. Having gone through your ebbs and flows of your career, can you appreciate what he's gone through to get to this point?
ADAM SCOTT: Somewhat, yeah. I mean, I know Martin a bit. I think I wouldn't say we're close friends, but we've had some pretty and honest discussions at dinners over the years. And I like Martin a lot. He's an incredibly hard worker. And if you don't see it from the wins he's had of how gritty and tough he is, I can tell you he's pretty gritty and tough working through the down times, as well. So I expect it to be very difficult to get past him tomorrow.

Q. Who is the better listener in those conversations?
ADAM SCOTT: I think I am. I think Martin is very direct with his comments, being German.

Q. Was there a time, I would assume pretty early in your career, where you ever stressed out about winning or thought too much about it the day before? And when and how do you turn a corner on something like that?
ADAM SCOTT: I did. I had one experience that comes to mind. It was the 1996 Gary Player Junior Classic, and it was a pretty big tournament in Queensland for juniors. You won a white jacket, which is weird because he was the Black Knight (laughter). I really, really wanted to win this. All my kind of idols as a junior golfer -- and I don't mean Greg Norman, I mean the older juniors had won it, and I'd given myself a 54-hole lead and I was so concerned about the whole thing I just couldn't sleep at all that night. I was awake all night. I couldn't switch my head off.

And luckily it was like an hour and a bit drive from home to get to the golf course, and I slept to in the car. That's the only sleepy had. And somehow I played just good enough to win. And that was the only time I really, really struggled, I think, thinking about the next day. Maybe at Lytham as well, but it wasn't like I didn't sleep at Lytham. But it's hard not to think about what is going to happen and try and distract yourself sometimes.

But that was the first time I really ever had a chance of winning a major or teeing off in the lead on Sunday in a major. So I think it's probably understandable. The first time these things happen on a big stage there's a few more thoughts in your head.

Q. Martin was also saying that he's been too much in his own head, overthinking things. How much of a challenge is that? Do you face that? Have you ever dealt with that, and how do you get past it?
ADAM SCOTT: I think so. On different levels. It depends on your personality. The worst thing you can do is get in search mode. If you're a golfer who's been No. 1 in the world or won a major even on Tour, has the talent level to play that well, if you're searching, then something is not quite right because you've got this gift where you're just able to play golf really well.

Of course it takes hard work, but you should always be able to go back to your natural DNA as a golfer. And that's got to be everyone's strength who's out here. And I think at times we all try a bit too hard, whether we're going well or whether we're going poorly. And the best thing to do is to get out of that quickly. And I kind of remind myself to just go back to what I'm naturally good at. That's kind of not thinking.

Q. Along those lines, I was just wondering about the journey to No. 1, you and Martin have both been at the top, and what's it like and what are the differences before, during and after being world No. 1?
ADAM SCOTT: The journey was kind of fun because lots of good stuff happened on the way to getting there. You played a lot of good golf to get to that point. And reaching it is a whole -- it's a very different satisfaction than winning a big tournament or winning any tournament. That's kind of a lifelong dream from being a kid.

I'll talk for myself, I didn't know if that was really possible when I became a pro and Tiger dominated that position for 10 or 13 years or something like that. I kind of shelved it, I didn't really think about it for a decade. And then I started playing a little better and getting up there, and it was really something to push for in the end.

So it was a great goal in the end, going forward. I think it was 2014. And it was pretty short lived, but it was sweet. It's a nice little asterisk next to your name that you've been No. 1 in the world as far as afterwards because once you're there, there's only one way to go (laughter).

Q. You guys get into a natural rhythm of a season. So for many years you've had just sort of the tournaments you like to play and gaps between them. This year it's almost like you're on a treadmill and it's been sped up considerably. Some people are struggling with that, but you seem to be adjusting to the compressed schedule as well as anyone. How? Why? Do you have any thoughts?
ADAM SCOTT: I've always kind of played a lighter schedule. So although I'm playing maybe a few more events in a few less weeks, it's still not that many events. And if guys are going to play the same amount, then they're playing -- they must be like that threshold of like how many events, 25 events or 28 events you can handle in 40 weeks or 36 weeks, something, where it can kind of burn you out.

But I've always tried to get my game ready at home and then come out when I'm ready to play. I don't always look at the compressed schedule as a good thing because I'm going to be able to get a longer break almost before I have to play again at the end of the year because I always end up playing in Asia and Australia. So it looks like six weeks. So for me it's like I can push a little harder on the treadmill, but then I can off.

Q. Do you think people will up end up playing fewer events because of managing the schedule? Maybe people will play a schedule more like yours as opposed to more like Patrick Reed's?
ADAM SCOTT: It's hard to know because you have to play very well as far as FedExCup points go if you play few. If you don't finish in the top five and you're playing a light schedule, you don't get very far in the FedExCup.

So it probably turns out being one of those things where what's most important to you, which events do you really want to play and how important is it to get in a good position for the playoffs in the FedExCup. And it's a tough one to manage, really, with the way the schedule is because it's very hard to sit out for three weeks anywhere.

Q. Will it make it a lot easier tomorrow playing with Martin knowing that you guys have been out to dinner a few times and you guys are friends?
ADAM SCOTT: I guess so, yes. I mean, I think I have a level of comfort with him, but you have to ask him if he feels the same way. I don't know. Maybe I intimidate him a lot (laughter).

Q. You know it's a bigger tournament than a normal tournament, you said so already, because of the host. How do you put that kind of to the back of your head and go forward without putting that extra pressure on yourself tomorrow?
ADAM SCOTT: I think just experience, that's all I can say to that. It's fun to sit here and talk about it; I don't really think I'll think about it tomorrow and I'll just go and play a round of golf.

I feel very confident here. The course sets up well for me. My game is in good shape. I should go out and just play a really good round of golf tomorrow and see what happens.

Q. Yesterday you talked about the myriad changes that you made throughout your game, your equipment, et cetera. I was wondering just what's the one thing that you do better at this time, this year, than you did this time last year?
ADAM SCOTT: Probably just mentally. I have that sense of calm, which has always suited me on the golf course. If the brain is working overtime and stressed and busy, it doesn't look it on the outside, maybe, but internal stress levels, and that's the difference I feel. I mean, I definitely walk on the course with a calmness. Maybe it's confidence, but I say calmness, anyway.

JOHN BUSH: Adam Scott, thanks for your time and best of luck tomorrow.

ADAM SCOTT: Thanks.

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