	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

TRAVELERS CHAMPIONSHIP

June 23, 2010

Adam Scott

CROMWELL, CONNECTICUT

MARK STEVENS: I'd like to welcome Adam Scott to the interview room. Adam, you're going to be making your first appearance here at the Travelers Championship. You just got done with the Pro Am. Maybe talk a little bit about the course and we'll take a few questions.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. The course is looking good. You know, coming from Pebble Beach, it's a lot softer than Pebble was, so I can see good scores coming this week from the guys.
I think a lot of us will come out and make a lot of birdies and get our confidence back up from maybe getting beaten down last week. But it's in great shape. It's a course that a lot of the TPC courses have some similarities, and I've always played them well, so looking forward to getting out there this week and seeing some putts go in.
MARK STEVENS: Okay. Thank you. Questions?

Q. Adam, this is the first time I think you've come here. What went into the decision process, play Pebble and come all the way across the country and play here back to back?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, it fit my schedule well. I mean I've never been here before, but this year when we were amending my game and what I was hoping to do, to come to Travelers was a good chance maybe to continue to work on those things in tournament conditions, not just on the range.
So you know, The Travelers is doing a lot for guys to get over here, the charter flight and all that kind of stuff is very helpful.

Q. Did you take the charter flight, and how was that?
ADAM SCOTT: It was great. Everyone -- we put the caddies in the back. No. It was great. It was very convenient, and I saw a lot of guys on there that I'm sure would have a second think about playing this tournament if there wasn't a flight. So they're doing the right thing, and really grateful to them for that and happy to be here.

Q. This isn't exactly a long course, but how does this suit your game? Does this course fit well and how you play?
ADAM SCOTT: I think so. Like I just touched on before, I have a good record at TPC venues, and you know, this reminds me of a few of them. And you know, must be the mounting or something they do that surrounds the course.
The course is unique in its own way, but you know, I like the greens here. They're simple, but they've got some subtle undulations and runoffs that make it interesting.

Q. I was going to basically ask the same thing. I was wondering if there are in the similarities involved here with San Antonio, and Greg Norman designed that course, I understand. He won out here. I wonder if he took any of what he saw here over there from what you could see.
ADAM SCOTT: He has his own design traits, I think. You know, his bunkering and his green areas are similar on his courses that he does.
Some of the greens have, you know, here are a little elevated, raised greens with some runoffs. That's certainly a trait of Greg Norman. So you know, I've seen that here a bit, and you know, I like it. I think it's been very tastefully done out here, and the course is in good shape, which we come to expect week after week. But it's always nice playing on good surfaces.

Q. You've gotta be one of 10 20-year-olds players who are doing so good this year. Can you kind of talk about that, the 20-something explosion that's been on the TOUR this year?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. I think it's -- the next wave of guys have certainly come through now, and this happens every 10 years or so.
When I went myself, and Sergio and Justin Rose and Charles Howell, when we first got on the TOUR, there was a lot of talk about four or five 20-year-olds getting on the TOUR, but every group of players learn from the one before.
I think the young guys out here have learned from, you know, the Tigers and the Sergios, and they're getting better and better at a younger age, and therefore, they're out here winning. And if one does it, the other one thinks he can do it and that's how it goes.

Q. I know you're 29 and probably banked on a lot of that experience to win at Texas and wherever this year, but guys like Rory who are only 21, does it surprise you that they're able to stay so calm and cool under that pressure of Sunday?
ADAM SCOTT: Well, not when you've got the talent Rory's got, no. All these young guys who are winning are pretty gifted, talented people.
And you know, he should be calm and confident because he's got the game. So it's good to see these guys, you know, developing to their potential at a young age. You know, he's got the chance to have an incredible career.

Q. Does he remind you a little of you? Do you look at him and say I remember when I didn't care, I just threw it at the flag every day?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. No, it did. Certainly watching Rory play at Quail Hollow, you know, I saw a lot of similarities to the way I played probably at a similar age. And you know, he's a great player, so you know, I think everyone needs to stay out of their way and let their games develop naturally and in time, and they've got the game to do anything they want. They've just gotta find their way to do it.

Q. As a professional golfer, and particularly as one who almost transcends into popular culture or literally does, how do you find the way golf media has changed or the way media coverage of golfers has changed in the past six months, and then also within the past couple of years, with the advent of social media, bloggers and all types of cultural media? Does it affect the game when you're playing, is it more distracting? Just curious about that.
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. I mean we've gone -- I think society's gone through a lot of changes in that, through social media and the way everyone is promoted these days from the PGA TOUR through to what we do ourselves.
And you know, there's a lot more scrutiny on players these days. There's a lot more expectation and pressure, and you know, but that's part of what goes with being on the PGA TOUR. I think, you know, we have the opportunity to play for prestigious titles and a lot of money, and you know, that's what the fans want to see, so we have to provide that for 'em.

Q. You said you wanted to try some things out in tournament competition. That's one of the reasons why you came here. Can you talk a little bit about them specifically things you are working on?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. I've worked on my swing all the time, but in the last six months. A couple of things I struggled with at Texas was, you know, controlling shots, three-quarter shots.
I think my wedge play hasn't been great this year. You know, I'm working on that, and I think controlling it in three-quarter shots kind of go hand in hand with the wedge play. And I can practice that all day long on the range, but can only really see how you're progressing if you're out on the course in a tournament under pressure when it counts.
So my game's in good shape. I think I'm better served being out here playing and making the most of me playing well rather than standing on the range at home and playing well. You know, that doesn't do me any good at all.
And also, continue just to build the confidence with my putting, where I've come from from Texas and the way it's been feeling really good. To do that and get some confidence in tournament play is still something I'd like to do rather than just wondering if I'm going to feel comfortable that day with it.
So it's all about preparation, for each event, but also the summer's coming up, two majors and world golf events slash the FedExCup Playoffs and I need to be in shape to contend.

Q. Your wedges does it have anything to do with how you were hitting it?
ADAM SCOTT: Not really. It's just a little bit more technique related. So just, you know, got into a couple of lazy habits with that and trying to break them.

Q. You had mentioned how you had heard -- you said the tournament fits your schedule and you had heard some good things about it. Was it a good selling job by Nathan or did you hear a lot from other players who had played here the last year, year before that kind of got you thinking I want to stop here and check it out?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, it's a bit of everything. The tournament directors and the people involved here do a good job. There are little Travelers brochures in our lockers pretty much on a weekly basis. They are good at keeping the tournament fresh on everyone's mind.
I've only had good reports from players. I think a lot of guys enjoy the fact that a lot of people turn up over the week, and it's quite an atmosphere out here. So you know, I kind of -- my schedule's always a bit up in the air, and like I said, I feel like I'm playing good. I wanted to be here. It fit really well, so come here and hopefully make the most of it.

Q. (Indiscernible) earlier this year and then obviously the win in Texas, what has that kind of done for your game given what you've gone through the last couple of years?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. Well, I really struggled with the putting this year, you know, just getting in my own way. And Dave certainly and his son, Junior, have certainly helped me get out of my own way.
Texas obviously Sunday I made everything. But you know, it's still a work in progress. I still think it can be better, and that's why I want to get out here and play and get that confidence in tournament play. But you know, golf is a much easier game when you know you're going to make some putts.
And you know, just fresh in my mind is the U.S. Open. I mean it was hard to make putts on the greens last week, but you know, I could have made a couple more. It would have made a big difference. It makes a big difference the way you play shots into the green. You can really get a little more aggressive and committed because you know if you mess up, the putter will be there to back you up. And I still wasn't 100 percent last week, you know, just fighting a little bit, and everything kind of bled into the rest of the game. Everything was a bit tentative because you know you're protecting from that big number. So you just have to be able to let go, and when you're comfortable with the putter, you can play however you like.

Q. Are still working with him?
ADAM SCOTT: Yeah. I worked with him the week before the U.S. Open. So yeah, I mean it's not really intense coaching. You know, they're just checking up on me, see how I'm doing. And you know, I've talked to them about the routines and things that they like to see, and that's what I mean with freeing me up. Some of the stuff they've told me to do in my routine has just really freed me up.
MARK STEVENS: Okay? Thanks a lot, Adam. Good luck this week.
ADAM SCOTT: Thanks very much.

End of FastScripts

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297