|
|||
|
|||
|
 |
|
|
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPJuly 19, 2012Adam ScottLYTHAM ST. ANNES, ENGLAND MIKE WOODCOCK: We have Adam Scott in with us this afternoon. Fantastic 6‑under par and 64, which equals the lowest score here at Lytham, which I think is a previous ‑‑ ties with Tom Lehman back in '96. I hope that might be a good omen for you Adam. ADAM SCOTT: Very pleased with the start, obviously. It's nice just to take advantage of the calm conditions today. It was surprising but very pleasing to go out and play some solid golf.  It's what I haven't done the first rounds of the majors this year, and that was my goal here, really, starting the week was to play today like it was Sunday and there was no tomorrow. I did a good job of that, and now I've got my work cut out for me the next couple of days to keep myself in a similar kind of position. Q. Two‑part question: Are you aware that there's never been a 62 in a major championship round, and secondly at any point during the round were you thinking about 62? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I know there's never been a 62. And I was waiting to use the bathroom going to the 17th tee and I did a look at the leaderboard and realized it was a par‑70. And I also probably then realized that I wasn't going to be the guy to shoot 62. It's one of those things that you don't want to go through your mind, thinking about your final score and stuff like that. So I got rid of that quickly and got on to playing the 17th. But unfortunately dropped one up the last. Q. How frustrating was that, the dropped shot? ADAM SCOTT: Not much, I just pulled my 2‑iron slightly off the tee. It's quite an awkward tee shot with no wind, even. And just got myself in a bit of trouble and tried to be smart and chip out and chip on, but didn't quite hit a good third shot and left myself too much work. But, you know, making a bogey here or there is fine. Making doubles and triples is what really hurts. So just getting out of trouble was good. Q. You've proven a good front runner in the past. Does that give you confidence going into the next three rounds? ADAM SCOTT: Just this round, I think, gives me a little bit of confidence going into the next three rounds. But I'm not really expecting it to play like this at all. It was just like a nice walk in the park today, and it was not what we've experienced in the practice rounds. I'm sure there's going to be some weather elements thrown at us the next three days. So just going to have to knuckle down to handle that. But I'm confident. My ball‑striking is good.  I think I can get it around no matter what the conditions are. Q. You mentioned a different mindset from the first round of the majors previously this year. Has it been a matter of too conservative approach or just focus, or what was the problem? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, a little bit, maybe too conservative and almost too patient. I was playing so well going into the U.S. Open I felt, and all of a sudden I was 7‑over through 15 holes of the tournament, and you can't pick up that many shots in a major. So to focus and play the first hole at the tournament like it's the 72nd and you've got to make three to win was kind of my mindset on the first tee this morning, really switch on right from the first tee and not just see how it goes for the first few holes. That was really the difference. I didn't hit that good of shots but I was really focused on what I was doing the first few holes today. Q. How much of an advantage is it to have a caddie who has experience of winning this tournament? Is there anything specifically you've drawn on that he's said to you this week that you've been able to use today? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, well, look, it's something that at any given time could help me, a guy with experience like Steve. But we talked about that mindset because I was playing well at all the majors this year, but the first round I'm shooting myself in the foot a little bit and making it too much work to get back in it. And he wanted me to go to that first tee today like it was the 72nd hole and you have three to win. And really switch yourself on from the first hole. That was a good little trigger he kind of helped out with. Q. You holed quite a few putts today, which you haven't always done. Maybe Augusta you struggled with the greens. Do you feel today that your putting has improved or was it just that the greens you're more comfortable with the pace of them? ADAM SCOTT: No, my putting has improved out of sight. I mean, two years ago I was 180th on Tour, and now I'm pretty good. Better than average, I would say. So that's a big difference, whether it's a shot a round or two on average makes a big difference to my scorecard. But these greens are always kept at a speed that when there's no wind we all feel very comfortable and we feel like we can hole a lot of putts. They're very flat and very subtle breaks. If you get your eye on them, you feel like you can make a lot of putts, they roll pure. And you've got to take advantage of that. Q. When you bogeyed the 3rd, did that wake you up in any way, because you obviously go 7‑under or so the next 11. Did that make you think, you know, this is the time I need to take advantage of what's‑‑ of these conditions? ADAM SCOTT: I don't know that I thought quite that. But I felt like I didn't have to panic, like I'm over par through three and the tournament is slipping away from me. It was important to bounce straight back, though, I think, and get a birdie on 4 and settle myself a little bit. On 3 I got it out of position, and I didn't want that to be the theme of the day, so to hit a good tee shot off 4 kind of settled me down and got going from there. And then I just kept hitting good shots, much like how I felt in practice. It was nice. Q. Just as a follow, last year at Bridgestone I remember Steve was geeing you up Thursday morning as if it was Sunday, and you went out and shot 62 and then sort of romped on. Is that how the feeling was today? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, a little bit. I think between myself, Steve and Brad, my coach, we could all see how nicely I've been playing the practice rounds. And I think their little gee ups are good for me. I like that, I can feed off of it because I can cruise a little bit too much when I'm out on the golf course, and I can be very patient, which is a good thing at times. But good thing to get me going right from the start and get me alert. Q. How would you describe your career so far? Would you say you've achieved your goals or do you think you've slightly underachieved? ADAM SCOTT: Well, I haven't achieved my goal of winning major championships. That's what I've dreamt of as a kid and that's what I made goals when I turned pro and what I've thought about since turning pro, so I guess I haven't achieved that. Everything else fits into the process of doing so. So I still feel like I've got a lot to play for and a lot to achieve, but it's been a good career. I've won tournaments. And most guys like to judge their success on winning. I've won a couple of tournaments most years, which is a good habit to have, because it's getting harder and harder to win out here. And I'm looking for a win this year. But I would say I haven't achieved what I wanted until I win a major or more. Q. Do you have any relatives around here that follow you? ADAM SCOTT: I do, yeah. My dad's cousins live down the road in Freckleton. They'll be here. They were out there today. Q. It was your birthday two or three days ago. Did you do anything? ADAM SCOTT: Played 18 out here (laughter). I did think it was quite an interesting gift that I was given this year by my family. They gave me a golf bag (laughter). It was a very nice golf bag, though, I have to say. And I will use it when I'm at home, if I carry my clubs. It's a small little leather one, and I like that kind of thing. But I thought it was quite a funny present to give me a golf bag. Q. Are you ever in contact with Peter Thomson, a fellow Aussie? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I occasionally speak to Peter when we cross paths. I don't know if he's here this week. He often comes to The Open. I saw him last November in Australia. He's the first pro I ever caddied for, actually, when I was 10. But he's had a lot of advice for me over the years. He always encourages me in his own way. Q. Greg has obviously been an influence in your career. What are your memories of his two Open Championships and how inspirational have they been for you? ADAM SCOTT: Well, my memories of his first one, I don't remember a lot. I think I was six. But when he won at St.George's in '93 I watched every bit of it. And that was huge for me because it was about that time I was stopping playing other sports and really wanting to be a golfer, and he was my idol. So to see him win that one really spurred me along as it would any kid looking at his hero winning the biggest championship in golf. I have great memories of watching him play at St.George's, I could probably tell you every shot he hit that Sunday. And he played pure. That was a big part of a big time in my life I would say, golf‑wise. Q. Is it good to give Aussie sport a lift after the one dayers in Wimbledon wasn't too hot? ADAM SCOTT: Well, it is, hopefully. Yeah, a little bit of a lull for Aussie sport at the moment, I guess. But my football team is on top of the ladder back home so I'm happy with them. MIKE WOODCOCK: Best of luck this week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
About ASAP Sports •
FastScripts Archive •
Recent Interviews •
Captioning •
Upcoming Events •
Contact Us
FastScripts | Events Covered | Our Clients | Other Services | ASAP in the News | Site Map | Job Opportunities | Links |
|
ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297
|