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Still stewing over his final-hole slip-up last year, Adam Scott is relishing the chance to atone when his much-hyped return showdown with Rory McIlroy gets underway at the Australian Open on Thursday.
After leading all championship at Royal Sydney, Scott took a sloppy bogey on the 72nd hole as McIlroy drained a long birdie putt to deny the big home hope a second Open trophy and Australian golf’s Triple Crown.
“Getting on that trophy (in 2009) was a big moment in my career, so to have won it a second time would have been pretty special,” Scott said on Wednesday.
“I thought I played well enough and had everything under control to do that last year.
“The way that I lost, to bogey the last, to make an error at that point is frustrating as a competitor, or any athlete.
“It just hurts more.”
While Scott was left smarting, McIlroy’s breakthrough after an otherwise barren season sparked his spectacular revival in 2014.
The 25-year-old usurped Scott from atop the rankings in August with a blazing hat-trick of back-to-back majors at the British Open and US PGA either side of success at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
On Wednesday, McIlroy admitted he could never have imagined when he arrived in Sydney this time last year just how his fortunes would change in a matter of months.
“I was just trying to get my golf game back on track – and I felt like it was,” he said.
“Some of my goals for this year were to contend in the majors, do better in those, get myself up the world ranking.
“I didn’t think I’d be able to get back to No.1 this year … I didn’t think it was quite possible this year, maybe early 2015.
“But I was able to get back there at the start of August and it’s been a great journey back.”
With Masters runner-up Jordan Spieth plus nine other former champions in the field this week, McIlroy isn’t predicting a two-way battle with Scott.
Scott, though, has no doubts McIlroy is the player to beat both this week and beyond as the Northern Irishman strives to take his majestic game to yet another level in his quest to complete the career grand slam in April at Augusta.
“We’ve somewhat pushed each other along over the last couple of years and certainly the last half of this year Rory has taken his game up a notch,” Scott said.
“That’s inspired me to work harder because he’s got to have more motivation than ever for what’s upcoming for him.
“Next year he’s got a chance to complete things in a career that only so few have done. So he’s going to be really motivated.
“But I certainly welcome the challenge because these are the best years of my career and I’m going to have to get the best out of myself to beat a guy like that.”
Scott predicted the redesigned layout The Australian could produce some low scoring if it’s not too windy over the next four days.
“My feeling is it’s certainly going to favour the longer hitters this week,” he said.
“There’s no rough out there. It seems like it just hasn’t grown in for them yet.
“Hopefully with some pretty long straight driving, I’ll be able to take advantage of a few holes.”