HERO DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 17, 2024

Adam Scott

Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club

Press Conference

BRIONY CARLYON: Ladies and gentlemen, delighted to welcome back Adam Scott here to the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Adam, I think you've had a nice summer abroad spending some time in Australia post the Australian PGA and Australian Open. How much are you looking forward to kick starting your here in Dubai?

ADAM SCOTT: Well, I was enjoying myself in Australia on holiday but it is nice to start the year here in Dubai, where I haven't really played that much in my career, but I feel like I have spent some time in this area. I really had a nice week here a couple of years ago, and I'm glad this worked nicely into my schedule before I head back to play some golf in the States.

The course is a little more demanding than maybe I would like first week out of a break but I'm certainly going to find out where my level is at this week.

BRIONY CARLYON: How nice is it, as well, to be here for a Rolex Series Event? It's obviously one of the big DP World Tour events to start the year. What have you enjoyed so far, as well?

ADAM SCOTT: All of it, really. I mean, this really is a treat to have an event, it being a Rolex Series, Hero being the sponsor, the hospitality for everybody, including the media, as I see, looks very, very nice. Certainly for the players, it is. We're being incredibly well taken care of, and the golf course is at the highest standard.

So these are kind of dream events, and it's like I said, I'm excited that I'm here playing. I've spent a lot of time in the past decade or so playing in the United States. Coming back around at this point in my career, it's nice to be playing a bit more of an international schedule again.

Q. We just had Rory in here before you, and he was asked about his resignation on the policy board in the States, and he identified you as a particularly important figure going forward. I think he said international voice over there. Can you comment on that, and let us know what your thoughts are on the whole thing?

ADAM SCOTT: On the whole thing? (Laughter).

Well, yeah, I think it is important that there is an international voice in that room. Obviously the PGA TOUR has kind of really led the professional game now for quite a while but they are in partnership with the DP World Tour, and other tours around the world are in partnership with the DP World Tour, as well, including Australia, which it's important that there's some voice coming, representing the rest of the world in the game and that it is more than just the United States.

And, in fact, I think as it's always been popular in America and the dominant place, but the popularity globally is growing quickly. It did through COVID. Participation is up, and certainly my feeling the last couple of years, having played in Asia, Japan every year, and Australia, is there is increasing interest in the game.

Hopefully I can express that well at the board level and have some influence on decisions when it comes to golf outside the United States and how important it is not to ignore it.

Q. Rory talked last week about the Dubai Invitational about his vision about what he would like to see going forward. What would be your ideal scenario, if you like?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, what's ideal and what's realistic is probably two different things at the moment.

I've always loved playing internationally like I said before. Obviously the way the professional game has been shaped over the last 20 years, it's been very important to be playing in America. You know, but I think a better balance can be achieved going forward.

There seems to be some opportunities on the horizon that might also help that as well. So I also think to be fair to the younger or the new generation of American players, they have enjoyed their international experiences as well. The events that they have played when they have travelled, and I think they are very open to the possibility of traveling to great venues around the world to play some great tournaments.

Q. Rory has also made no secret of the fact that he feels being involved in the board impacted his own game and he suffered as a result. Did you have any misgivings of taking on this role at this stage of your career?

ADAM SCOTT: I think when I went on the board, it wasn't quite in this position -- well, when I kind of got put in the position to go on the board, there wasn't quite so much going on. I was thinking I'd deal with maybe a ball roll back and some drops (laughing) and how the hospitality looks at some tournaments (laughing). So it's changed a little bit.

You know, just on Rory's comment, I thought he played incredibly well last year and for the past couple of years, maybe he didn't win exactly what he wanted to win but his standard of golf seemed to be very high.

So he's being a little critical of himself. I thought he handled it all incredibly well, and his golf was great, even though he was really a figurehead for the PGA TOUR and the game the last couple years I would say. So he's being a bit harsh on himself.

But if he thinks he'll do better, then I'd better get back to practising (smiling).

Q. Have you found that you have to sort of compartmentalise, or do you find it sort of distracting when you're aware from the course, thinking even days or weeks after a meeting about what's going on in the back room?

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I think that's about right. That's what you have to do. I think luckily for me, I was somewhat included or privy to what was going on, and able to sit in on a lot of the meetings that the player directors had over the last six months; so I was up to speed. So I think I had a little bit of a head start and now I'm actually on the board. I don't feel it's too overwhelming. I think I know how to handle it.

And I also think some of the business things that I'm not -- that's not my field of expertise, are hopefully going to be coming to a close fairly soon and we can move on with more normal matters related to the game.

Nice shirt.

Q. I was expecting that comment from you. One of the things, I've been speaking to Australian players, some players from Asia, one of the things that everyone has been pointing out is the OWGR situation where because of the changes made, it's very PGA TOUR-heavy. Have you received that kind of a feedback from players, and what can you do as being part of the PGA TOUR' policy board?

ADAM SCOTT: Well, I don't need to receive that feedback because I can see it. I mean, I know and I'm not sure it's right. I really -- I haven't really done a deep dive into that. So it seems like one of those things, a bit like FedExCup points, there's not a perfect system for this and we're changing again, and though I don't think they got it right and they made some adjustments at the back end of last year.

But I wasn't around when the changes were being put forward a couple years ago. I wasn't part of the board or anything to do with that.

I don't know. I mean, I think they are in a tricky spot at the moment, like everything in professional golf is kind of up for debate and discussion. They need to find a good system. Otherwise, I fear the World Rankings can become irrelevant.

Q. How important is it for this opportunity to create something global as grass, and if it's not grass now, will it never happen?

ADAM SCOTT: I don't think it would never happen. I feel like there needs to be a vision, at least, with this. You know, changing everything overnight is probably not realistic, the way I see, it at least. But if there's a vision and something to work towards, I think everybody can get behind that so that we see where the game is going.

I think an unsettling thing for players currently is we don't know what it's going to look like and what it is going forward. That's where you see players making decisions to move to LIV or not to move to LIV with uncertainty and risk taking, and it would be nice to see some kind of clear vision where the professional game is working towards soon.

Q. Is it fair to say that changing American attitudes is the biggest hurdle in going forward?

ADAM SCOTT: It's one of them for sure.

But like I said before, I don't think -- I don't think the players are scared of playing a little more internationally. It's all about finding the right balance and how we can do this. And at least, at the very least, could operate if the LIV product continues on.

Q. Post-pandemic, the Asian Swing on the DP World Tour are is probably the strongest this year with more than half a dozen, and we have seen you play a lot in Asia, like in Singapore you won a few times, playing in Australia, Japan, etc. How important is it for the elite of world golf to play more often in Asia? Rory just spoke about 70 or 80 of the best players in the world playing in a country like mine, India, and what can it can do for the game. How important do you think it is for the elite to play more often than in the past in places like in Asia?

ADAM SCOTT: It is important. Most of Asia loves the game of golf, and I think they would love to see the best players coming there. The schedule has been really packed into America, firstly, and then to Europe.

You know, we've had a few PGA TOUR events and World Golf Championships events in Asia, but the pandemic has kind of unsettled that swing in Asia, I guess. And The European Tour is back with a good swing there now.

Personally, I love playing in Asia. It's kind of more my region and I could see myself playing there more in the future as I get a little bit older and would like to spend time in Australia and travel less. So I hope there's something good to come in the future.

And I think the hospitality for us in Asia, it's such a welcoming place. We are so well treated. And the fans are so enthusiastic. So it's got everything going for it. And hopefully with the increased popularity in the game the last few years, we'll be directed a little more that way. But there's only so many weeks of the year and so many tournaments. So there's got to be some give and take somewhere in all of this.

Q. But there's a substantial part of The European Tour now in Asia and the Middle East.

ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it's fantastic. The weather dictates part of that, and I think that's great, you know, to give The European Tour players an opportunity to play in the good climates at a time of year when Europe is not so favourable.

And hopefully guys are open-minded enough to kind of look at these opportunities from a playing point and get this experience of traveling around the world and spreading the good word of the game and keeping people excited because it is a unique situation that happened in COVID where everyone ended up wanting to play golf. I think it's incredible, and would be good if our game took advantage of that for the next generation or so.

Q. Is the reality that LIV and Saudi Arabia has helped the sport in terms of instigating with having these level of conversations that would never have been otherwise, and is that kind of worth all the noise and bad feeling that's also existed?

ADAM SCOTT: I don't know. I mean, I don't really spend time on it.

I think you've just got to look at what's here and now and the reality is that it seems LIV is going forward no matter what, and they have a considerable number of great players in the game. And like I said, it's really good getting to place where we can at least could operate and function. And I think there's got to be give and take on both sides for that to happen.

But hopefully that's achievable, and soon, and all the noise and disruption has to be put behind so the game can move forward.

BRIONY CARLYON: Thank you, Adam, for your time and all the best this week.