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WACHOVIA CHAMPIONSHIP

April 30, 2008

Adam Scott

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

DOUG MILNE: We'd like to welcome Adam Scott to the Wachovia Championship media center. Adam, thanks for spending a few minutes with us. I was joking with you on the way over that you've pretty much got the 45-footers down, dropped a few out here today, and that was the key to your victory last week at the EDS Byron Nelson. Just a couple comments since then how you're feeling based on that win as you head into the week here at Wachovia.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, well, it was a great week last week in Dallas for me, a good decision to come back over to the TOUR a week early and get straight back into it. You know, I was really happy with the last six holes of that tournament I played; it looked like I was down and maybe out, and I managed to pull it out in the last six holes.
It's a nice way to finish and pretty lucky to roll in a big one to win, but you take it when they come, and I'm looking forward to this week now, a course I like a lot and I've played well here in the past, so hopefully keep the form going.

Q. Speaking the way you finished, how much does that mean to you to win a tournament that way, when like you said, it looked like you might be down and out? Is that something you kind of needed to prove to yourself or build confidence for you?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, I think -- yeah, it feels good that you can prove to yourself that practice and hard work pays off and that you can control your nerves and emotions and execute the shots when you have to. I guess that's what we're really playing for. Or I am anyway. You know, I felt pretty pleased with myself that I hit a lot of good shots and a few good putts at that point.

Q. I'm sure you were asked this last week, but what prompted you to come back a week early, because you're going to go three in a row here the next three weeks?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I was just playing well at Augusta, and I got home and I played a couple rounds, and I was playing well there. I felt like, you know, I'm just starting to play really nicely, and no point in doing that at home for two weeks, so I decided to come right back.

Q. Tee to green it looks like you're playing as well as you can, but obviously you're competing with everyone else out there. Who do you work with, or do you work with anybody on the greens and what are you trying to do to feel more comfortable with your stroke?
ADAM SCOTT: I work with Butch, but I don't really think I've got too many issues on the greens, to be honest. I've been ranked quite highly in the stats if you look at that. I feel like, you know, my practice has been going -- I've putted quite well this year. I work with Butch on my putting, but I've just been practicing more this year, and that's why I feel I've had an improvement in my putting.

Q. Obviously Phil works with somebody else in putting. What does he do in putting? What do you guys work on?
ADAM SCOTT: We've just been working on my hand position this year. I just felt that my hands have been too low for too long, and we've just been trying to get my hands a little higher. That frees my stroke up a little bit, so I just work on that.

Q. What do you make of this run of victories by guys in their 20s? A whole slew of guys have won this year from Holmes to Trahan and all that. Random happenstance, or do you see a reason or reasons why?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, I think if you look at who the guys are, I mean, Brandt, is this his second or third year maybe on TOUR? I'm not sure, but there are a few of the 20-year olds who have been out here a few years now and picked up a little bit. I think that's part of the reason why. I mean, obviously extremely talented golfers, but with a little bit of experience, that can go a long way.
I think you're seeing the mid-20-year-olds lifting their games to where they possibly can be one day. I'm sure we're not all satisfied with what we're doing, but we're on our way.

Q. When you see a guy like Trevor break through and win a major, is there a temptation to ask how do you do it or wonder how he did it or even pick his brain, something like that?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I'll pick anyone's brain. But from just looking at the way he played, and a couple of the highlights that I've seen of it, he looks so composed and in control. You know, he looked like he should have been winning. Obviously he was playing really well, but I think he handled himself extremely well on Sunday.
You know, even looking at that, I think the way I played the back nine at Augusta this Sunday, even though I wasn't really in contention, I was going quite well. That was a difference between my back nine and the way Trevor played the last few holes.
But when you win, that's what you're like, I think. I think somehow you have a calm inside you and you manage to control your emotions and control your golf shots, as well.

Q. Along the lines of the 20-something class, would you think that class is progressing naturally and living up to the potential, or do you see a lot more potential when you look across your peers that are in their 20s?
ADAM SCOTT: I think they're doing pretty well. I think everyone is living up to potential. You've got to be careful not to get potential distorted with achievements of Tiger in his 20s, and I think everyone can easily do that, including ourselves. You know, when I turned pro, I thought, yeah, I'll just go out and challenge Tiger (laughter), and it just doesn't happen, unfortunately. You've got to keep it in perspective a little bit. Although you've got to push yourself hard, too. We've probably all done really well, but we all think we can do a lot better.

Q. You've talked about a five-year plan. Are you progressing well on that?
ADAM SCOTT: What plan is that?

Q. You were talking in Hawai'i at the Mercedes about a five-year plan to one day be No. 1.
ADAM SCOTT: I said if I played my best golf it would be five years before I could be No. 1. I wasn't planning anything, but that was me being realistic. I'd have to play well for five years to catch Tiger, which I think is still the case. I'm no closer (laughter).

Q. On subject of Tiger, we asked Trevor about the impact of his absence now with his injury. This is the first tournament he probably would have played since the Masters. Trevor was pretty convinced that it's a huge impact. What's your feeling on that, and does the strength of the field here somewhat offset that?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, look, obviously it is a huge impact that Tiger is not going to be in an event. This one he usually does play, and he would have defended here, I'm sure. But I think the strength of the field of this event does offset it a little bit. It's hard to make up for, but by the looks of the turnout today, just for the Pro-Am, I think we're going to be in for a great week, and it'll be another successful tournament. But obviously to not have Tiger in the field is a letdown for everyone involved, including the players.

Q. Does it kind of open a window, though? There's been some that have said with Tiger out of the field it kind of opens the gates for some other people to win.
ADAM SCOTT: Well, for sure, because you know he was going to have a chance on Sunday. Odds are that he will. I'm sure everyone is hoping to get in contention and give themselves a chance this week.

Q. The last three holes out here, notoriously brutal, statistically ranked as the toughest three on TOUR. I suppose it's probably similar to next week at THE PLAYERS. In the back of your mind as you're playing, do you still know you've got those three you've got to negotiate out here before you can take your shoes off?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, these are three really brutal finishing holes here. The only other three that I can think that might be tougher is Carnoustie. If you can survive these and win, you've certainly proved that to yourself again, because they're demanding. A long par-4, 16, and then 17 just requires a really good shot to hit the green, and then obviously 18, you know, there's trouble up the left side, a tough par-4 with a tough green, too.
But I think it's a pretty good finish to a great golf course. Sawgrass is the same; it's a little unique, but it gives you the risk-reward almost on every of the holes but certainly on 16 and then 17 and 18. No, it's a strong finish, that's for sure, here.

Q. Could you jump a little ahead to next week and talk about 16, 17 and 18, and when do they pop up in your brain during the round, and what's it feel like when you're standing on 17 tee?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, most of the time you really don't think about it until probably you get to the 16th green. I mean, 16 you're thinking of as a birdie hole. And then obviously you've got to think about 17. I mean, I have had it pop up on the 12th tee when I was 11-over one round through 11, thinking, I don't know if I've got enough golf balls to make it through today. It was the worst day of my life out there (laughter). But somehow I managed to get finished.
But yeah, I mean, it's a daunting hole. If the wind is blowing at all, it's a tough hole. Otherwise it's a 9-iron or a wedge, and it's a pretty big green. You know, the water has a funny effect on all of us. The green gets a lot smaller when the pin goes in a position and you're trying to get it in the same section as the pin. That's when you get in trouble and you start shooting at pins and not the middle of the green.

Q. And on 18, when you won, do you remember the up-and-down or do you remember the second shot when you look back on that?
ADAM SCOTT: I can remember a lot more clearly the up-and-down. I don't have a clear memory of the second shot. I think I was a little bit shocked maybe. Yeah, I can't really think what I did to hit it left. I remember the up-and-down pretty well, though. I remember the chip was so difficult, I felt, for me that that got my attention.

Q. What is it about next week that seemingly brings players of all capabilities into the mix, and you go from a longer hitter like you to a Fred Funk to maybe an in-betweener like Stephen Ames or Craig Perks?
ADAM SCOTT: I think it's the golf course. I think it's a really good tournament venue. They always set the golf course up very well there. I think that brings everyone into the mix. They built a great golf course and they set it up really well, and I think that's the -- everyone having a chance is a sign of those two things.

Q. Speaking of course setup, they talked about tweaking it here a little bit, maybe shorter rough and maybe firming up the greens a little bit. Did you get any of that feeling out there today?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, they've had too much rain for it to be firmed up. But I think the rough is a little shorter this year than it has been the last couple, which is nice. It's still long, but I think now it kind of gives you the option of, well, I might be able to get this up on the green rather than a little bit of a slash out of the rough.

Q. Fairly or unfairly, I think we consider you one of the guys that is the best player not to have won a major so far. When do you start thinking about San Diego? Have you started thinking about what will you do in preparation for it?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I'll probably start trying to prepare myself after next week. You know, we've got -- I think you've got to put THE PLAYERS up there as a tournament that you prepare for and plan for like a major. So this is part of the preparation, playing well here this week, and then get through THE PLAYERS, and I have a couple weeks off, and in those couple weeks start preparation physically and mentally for the U.S. Open with my training and also practicing, as well.

Q. Just so I understand, training, what will you do differently?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, I mean, leading into majors I train harder earlier and then back it off getting into them and try and make sure that my body is feeling as good as it can when I get there.
DOUG MILNE: Adam, thanks for your time. We appreciate it. Good luck this week.
ADAM SCOTT: Thanks.

End of FastScripts

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