GWD_MAY_16

ADAM SCOTT
and I think he has found a method he is
now comfortable with, I think he will be
more than fine,” Baker-Finch continued.
“He is the sort of guy who really thinks
everything through. He doesn’t leave a
stone unturned in everything he does.
And he told me he is starting to feel even
more comfortable with the short than he
was with the long.
“So once he starts really internalising
that, not just verbalising that, once he
really truly believes and has good results,
I think he is off and running.”
Perhaps the biggest pointer of being
Scott’s birdie
on the 18th
took him to a
play-off with
Angel Cabrera.
primed for a rebound is the fact he is
sitting under the radar again, where he
likes it. From there he can go about his
business without distraction or outside
expectation. Very few people sit in the
Adam Scott inner circle, so it is hard for
others to really know the man, and it leads
to plenty of guesses. One such assumption
is the affable Aussie is too nice. Not
ruthless or competitive enough to take
down others who seemingly want it more.
But caddie Steve Williams, who was at
the coalface with Tiger Woods and his
steely glares for 13 majors before helping
Scott to his, says it is a misconception, and
not to blame for any shortfall.
“When you look at all the different
players who compete, some guys look
intense, some look relaxed and casual and
Adam is a guy who does look relaxed. But
when you work with the guy, side by side,
his desire burns inside as much as
anybody,” Williams says.
“Whilst his facial expressions won’t say
that, what he actually says to me on a day
to day basis indicates his strong desire.”
Williams, who now shares the time on
Scott’s bag but is front and centre for the
majors, is expecting big things this season.
He wouldn’t be still lugging the bag at all
if he didn’t believe his man could come
out on top.
“He has played well at all four majors
and featured in them all over the last four
years so I wouldn’t say he has more of a
hand on one or the other but from my
perspective, and his as well, he would love
to get his hand on the claret jug because
he has had nine fingers on it three times,”
Williams admits.
“He loves that tournament and really
puts in the necessary work to win it, going
over and playing a lot of links golf in the
lead up, getting accustomed to hitting off
the hard ground and playing in the wind,
so I think that would be very special to
him to win it.”
Scott, for his part, knows it is becoming
more and more difficult to win with other
dominant players emerging, but welcomes
the challenge.
“Look at a guy like Phil Mickelson,”
Scott said.
“He’s always been incredibly talented
but didn’t win a major until he was 34 and
now he’s won five.
“There is plenty of fight in me yet.”
2012 US PGA, T11th
Scott was one off the lead heading into
Sunday, with nine holes of his third round to
complete. He played the back nine in +2.
2013 Open, T3rd
Scott battled into a one-shot lead by the
13th, but four successive bogeys ended his
charge at Muirfield.
2015 Open, T10th
Began the final round three shots off the
lead but his closing 71 was the highest of
anyone who finished in the top 10.
May 2016 Golf World 57