Down and dirty Scott gets his mojo back

For nine years, everything came easily to Adam Scott. Glamorous girlfriends, tournament victories, millions of dollars, a private jet – as one of the world’s best golfers, Scott had it all by his late 20s.

But, in his own words, Scott spent much of 2009 beating his head against a brick wall as his world ranking which had stood at No.3 tumbled and he lost his touch on the golf course.

On Sunday, Scott took a giant stride back to where he feels he belongs after getting his hands on his first Australian Open title on the tough NSW links.

Starting the day with a two-shot lead over 2001 champion Stuart Appleby, Scott fell into a tie for the lead with a bogey on his opening hole, but from the 2nd hole onwards the Queenslander never trailed as he put his name alongside the greats on the Stonehaven Cup.

The 29-year-old admits he once felt tournament victories would simply continue to happen, including a major, but he learned in 2009 the value of some serious hard work.

“I’m a fairly easygoing kind of character,” he said. “I just cruise along.

“I cruised along for nine years and everything was pretty rosy and I thought I would keep cruising along and keep winning tournaments like I was and one of them would be a major.

“But sometimes you need to get down and dirty, get your hands dirty a little bit and put in that extra effort.”

When he won the Byron Nelson Championship in April last year, his sixth US Tour triumph and 14th overall, Scott had no idea it would be 20 months before he would finally lift another trophy.

His slump reached it lowest ebb at this year’s PGA Championship in August, when he finished 17-over par after two rounds.

But somehow he remained positive and has now won his national championship, his first win on home soil.

“I wouldn’t say I was depressed,” he said.

“I think I remained fairly positive considering most days I was beating my head against a wall out on the golf course.

“I never stopped believing in myself, except for maybe a round or a few shots, but I never threw the towel in.

“Unfortunately I had to go through six months of playing pretty awful but that’s how this game is.”

Having slumped to No.54 in the world, Scott will find himself back in the top 50 when the latest list is released this week.

He finished the week on 15-under par, five shots ahead of Appleby, with Nick O’Hern, American Bryce Molder and New Zealand’s Michael Long equal third on six-under.

Topping off Scott’s triumphant tournament, he was handed the trophy by his hero Greg Norman.

Asked what Norman had said when he handed him the trophy, Scott replied: “He said ‘It’s about bloody time’.”

Snapshot of the final round of the $1.5 million Australian Open at NSW Golf Club:

MAN OF THE MOMENT: Adam Scott. After his worst year as a professional, Scott returned to form in some style to capture his first Stonehaven Cup.

KEY MOMENT: The 17th tee. With Scott looking shaky and his lead cut to three, Stuart Appleby’s tee shot missed the green and he made bogey, while Scott’s solid par ended the contest for good.

STAT OF THE DAY: 20. That’s how many months it’s been since Scott won his last tournament, the Byron Nelson Championship.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s so bizarre, this game, that off the back of such a bad year I finally played good enough to win down here.” Scott.

SUMMARY: Most expected a titanic final-round battle between Scott and Appleby. But it never really eventuated, with Scott leading by seven at one stage before registering a five-shot triumph and his first national championship.

FACTS ON ADAM SCOTT
Age: 29.
Turned professional: 2000
Career victories: 15.
World ranking: 54
2009 Australian Open prizemoney: $270,000.
2009 US PGA Tour prizemoney: $US783,138 ($A844,540).
Career US PGA Tour prizemoney: $US19,152,699 ($A20.65 million).

© 2010 AAP