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MASTERS TOURNAMENTApril 9, 2013Adam ScottAUGUSTA, GEORGIA MODERATOR: We are pleased to have with us a person last year who was incredibly impressive in the Masters last year, he finished tied for 8th, Adam Scott. Adam carded a final round 66, which was highlighted by a hole‑in‑one on No. 16. He finished second in the 2012 British Open and has posted two Top‑10s already this year on the PGA TOUR. He returns to Augusta for the 12th time with his best finish a tie for second in 2011. Before we open it up to questions, Adam, how have your preparations been going for the tournament this year? ADAM SCOTT: Well, I haven't played since Tampa obviously, most of you would know. But preparations have been going well. That's been the way I've prepared for me event the last couple of years, and it's brought some success with a couple of Top‑10s here. So you know, I'm kind of working on the same principles the last couple of years and been working away at all areas of my game but everything feels like it's in good shape and I feel like I'm here and ready to compete. Q. If winning a major is a process, what's the most important part of that process, and where are you? ADAM SCOTT: I think the most important part is finding the things that you need to do in that the process, finding what works, and I think that was what I was searching for for such a long time in my career, why I couldn't produce good results in bigger events when I played well in regular TOUR events or anywhere else around the world. But I feel like I've worked at that, and the last couple years has certainly shown dramatic improvement in my results in majors. So I'm working on that, I feel like I've got all of the boxes ticked and it's down to execution. A couple of times, I felt like I executed well enough to win, and didn't, and that could be just golf or it could be something else that I haven't quite got yet, I don't know. But I'd like to think that I'm doing the right things and I'm going to get myself in that position again a couple times this year in the big ones and hopefully get over the line. Q. Australia has a checkered history here at the Masters and we are yet to get one of those elusive green jackets, how much does that play on your mind when you're out there? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, look, I don't really think about it when I am out there playing. Although we haven't won, we've had a lot of success here as contenders, I guess. And it's going to happen one day, we say it, but it's up to one of us to make it happen. I think I've certainly developed a real level of comfort with the golf course in the last three years, so for me, I say that quietly confident that I believe I can make it happen one of these years that I'm here. Q. Did 2011 help with that? ADAM SCOTT: Oh, yeah, absolutely. 2010 was the turning point for me here, I think. I've been coming here a fair while and I finished ninth in my first outing, but then really struggled to get into contention for a long time. And I played so nicely in 2010 and just found a level of comfort on tees and into greens, and even around the greens and just got my eye in with the golf course, and then that showed up in 2011 for sure. Q. New logo on the shirt. ADAM SCOTT: Yes, there is. It's a new opportunity for me with Uniqlo, which is exciting because the clothing something has always been something I've enjoyed throughout my career. This is a new opportunity because it's a little bit like previous sponsors of mine, they are also outside of the golf world, and I like that. I like being a little unique with that kind of thing and hopefully can bring some people from golf into the fashion there and also people from the fashion world into golf, as well. So that's going to be fun for me to go down this route with Uniqlo. Q. Will we see Djokovic in the gallery here? ADAM SCOTT: No, that could be just weird maybe (laughter). Q. How much emphasis are you putting on the start, getting off to a hot start or in that first round? ADAM SCOTT: Well, that would be nice. You just can't plan a hot start. I think I've said here in the past that those six or seven holes are probably the most difficult to play on this golf course starting out on Thursday with the nerves on the first tee, and then getting yourself to calm down, and they are very demanding holes on the first seven. So getting off to a solid first seven holes is very important. If you can just play your way through there, then you set yourself up for some good opportunities on this golf course. A hot start would be great, but I would be happy with just a solid start. Q. I guess what I'm getting at is it's three and half rounds pretty much always ‑‑ you're usually immaculate at a lot of events. When it's been in those early days, that's when it seems to have hurt you most of the time; are you trying to get over that early hump? ADAM SCOTT: Well, yeah, much like last year, as I said out at the U.S. Open, and I really changed my mindset to start The Open Championship on the front foot and switch on from the first hole, and not have a couple early bogeys end your momentum or stop you from playing as well as you can, because they are hard to recover from in majors. The confidence can take a little hit and you can doubt yourself and then you're exposed on these tough courses. Certainly that mindset I took in The Open at the PGA Championship last year after a slow start in the U.S. Open again‑‑ and I had a slow start here last year, too. So looking for something a little more solid and just not go out on the back foot. Q. When players come close to winning big tournaments and don't win, I think fans assume it's a thing that lingers and haunts players. How is it from a player's perspective? How easy or difficult is it to put things like that behind you? ADAM SCOTT: Well, I can only speak for myself, and you know, I don't think about that much. You've just got to get on with it. I think that was the nice thing for me, I guess referring to The Open last year, I was playing a week later and I was back out there and the following week was another major. There's no time to sit and feel sorry for myself that I didn't win The Open. I was trying my hardest to win the PGA. I think more so than for me personally, not thinking about it wasn't a big deal. But when I got in a position to win again, that was when it was, you know, a gut check time as a player, to not make it a thing. So it wasn't until the end of last year I had a chance to win a tournament in Australia and I managed to do it. I think that was good because obviously you don't want to make it a thing that you struggle to close out a golf tournament and that's never really been the case with me. But the more you're up there, the more you're going to win and the more you are going to lose, and that's something that you have to deal with. For me, I didn't dwell on it at all. Ever since I really just took the positives, that it was great for me to play so well in The Open Championship in a major, play my best golf, that's what I'm trying to do. Q. Two experiences in contention, two very different ones, 2011 at the Masters and then last year at The Open, what did you learn in each of those experiences about yourself, not just about your game but yourself? ADAM SCOTT: Well, in 2011, it was just good to learn that my game took me to a place where I could contend. There was not much else for me to do other than birdie the last four holes, also, like Charl did (laughter). I felt like‑‑ I've watched a lot of Masters, seen a lot of finishes, when you're a one‑shot lead on 17 and you make two 4s, that usually puts you somewhere in a playoff or maybe win, but I wasn't even close. So that was out of my control. That was just a great week and a great Sunday, something that I look back on with good memories. Then The Open, more to your point, about myself was, I think that it was nice for me to see the way I handled it, my natural response to it, of course there was disappointment, but to see the big picture. I hope I contend in a lot more majors, and I'm hopeful to win some more. I don't want to lose anymore, but it's inevitable if you contend in a lot. You see that with everyone, but you'd like to win more than you lose but the first one that I really had my hands on, I let it go, so that will be something that I'll never want to do again. Q. Have you changed a couple of clubs in your bag? ADAM SCOTT: I have. I've actually been able to work in the new Titleist 913 driver for this week, which was a process for me, because I've just driven it so well the last couple of years with the previous model. But they have done some nice work and over the last month or so, I've been able to work that into the bag, which I'm very happy about. Just seeing a couple of benefits with the ball flight, especially here for Augusta. Q. Which 913? ADAM SCOTT: It's the d3. And I've also worked pretty hard with Scotty Cameron on a putter this year, which I had a really kind of backyard garage prototype in my bag for a couple of tournaments but now it's more like, looks like a production model. I've got a couple new clubs to work with, which I'm excited about for here. Q. How do you suppose you would have done here if you had played here as a 14‑year‑old? What do you think about the 14‑year‑old playing this year? ADAM SCOTT: I was just saying, I don't know how I would have been able to handle the enormity of the situation as a 14‑year‑old mentally. Obviously he can play very, very good golf at 14, better than most. But I just don't know how you handle the pressure and the nerves at that age. I can't think back to how I would have done that. So it would be great to watch. Obviously he's a really, really good player to beat the field he beat to qualify here. So it will just be another story, great story to watch this week I think. Q. The boxes that you were talking about that are ticked off, how much has the anchored stroke helped your consistency and do you feel any worry about the discussion over whether it should remain by the powers that be? ADAM SCOTT: Well, yeah, you hit the nail on the head there, it's the consistency with it that makes me putt that way. I just got so frustrated with the inconsistency in the way I was putting. The good stuff was great but it was just becoming‑‑ I just didn't know when that good stuff was showing up. So that was my solution to that. Yeah, of course, I have some concern over that, because I believe they are making a mistake and that's been well documented, I guess. But, hey, they are going to do what they are going to do I guess, and we'll see how the other powers that be respond to that (chuckling). Q. To go back to the story with Tianlang Guan, what was the highlight of the year when you were 14 in golfing terms? Do you remember what the biggest deal was for you then? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, I think I finished second in the Queensland Juniors that year, which was a big deal, because I was playing against 17‑year‑olds. So that was a big step for me. I think putting me on the spot, that's all I've got for you. Q. Have you met him or said hello to him? ADAM SCOTT: I haven't. I saw him from afar over the weekend, but I haven't seen him. Q. This might be a difficult question given all the variables you face out there, but if you had to come up with a single toughest shot out here, the one that causes you the most unease‑‑ ADAM SCOTT: Just the one, single shot? (Laughter) Yeah, I think potentially a pitch into the 15th hole is a very, very difficult shot out here. You know, later in the round, certainly, if you had that shot on Sunday, that would be a very difficult shot. Q. When you know a course as well as this, I know for us, and I'm sure it's the same for you, is there a hole you might step up to that kind of has your number as you constantly play it? And who makes that golf shirt? It's a great shirt. ADAM SCOTT: I think the most difficult hole out here is the first hole. I just think we all get‑‑ we build up the nerves before we go to the tee on Thursday or any round, and it's just a difficult golf hole. I think it demands a lot out of the drive and quite a long second shot up the hill to a very severe green, and I think when you're just trying to gather your thoughts and get composed out there, it asks a lot out of you, so I think the first hole is the most difficult hole out here. And Uniqlo makes this golf shirt. Q. You're obviously being talked about as one to watch and you're hoping this is your year, and Tiger, now people are saying he's the clear favorite and he's back in form. How much sweeter would a win for you be now that Tiger is back in form; does that make it any sweeter for you? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, look, I think every golfer feels like a win is sweet with Tiger in the field. But you know, I'm not really thinking about that. I think he's obviously probably the favorite here considering the form he's in. But, you know, I think that sometimes means little in golf. It's just not a foregone conclusion. So much can happen over a four‑day event, especially around courses like this. So it would be sweet just to win. Q. You spoke earlier about the comfort level you've developed here the last three years, and obviously the need to execute. To cross that line for the first time in a major, do you think much about‑‑ and this is out of your control, that element of luck that you might need for things to go your way? ADAM SCOTT: Yeah, absolutely. You need a little bit of winner's luck. I think everyone who wins a tournament who has it, but it's not something you can make happen, unless you practice hard like Gary Player said, then you get luckier. But I guess it just happens and when it's meant to be, it's meant to be. You know, Charl had an amazing couple of shots early in his final round, and then he produced incredible golf at the end there. So it just happens. I don't know, that stuff, you can't control, but I think the golfing gods sort all that kind of stuff out. Q. Tiger, you remember obviously the last time he was No. 1 in the world, he would get on a roll in these tournaments and it would seem like the field was powerless to do anything about it. How has that landscape changed around him now that he's No. 1 again, and if he gets going like that, how do you see things being different on the part of the rest of the field? ADAM SCOTT: I think we all know what he's capable of doing. He's got the runs on the board for that. But I think he's always a threat at any golf tournament. But he's far from just running away with it at the moment. He's just returned to No. 1 and that's just a number at the end of the day. I mean, there are so many players playing well, I think it's just not a foregone conclusion. And some of the guys, I think the biggest thing is they weren't out here when he was in that space that you mentioned and never saw that. So they don't know of him really doing that or haven't seen him at that level where he has played before. I think that's the difference. I think he'd have to put the runs on the board again to get back to that. THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Adam. Good luck this week. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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