Scott’s hot putter puts him back in frame

ADAM Scott finally stopped thinking about his putting and has been rewarded for a carefree attitude in the opening US PGA Tour Playoff event.

Starting the day seven off the pace, Scott fired a sixunder-65 at Bethpage Black to rocket to seven under and into third place for The Barclays.

The Queenslander trails American Rickie Fowler (68) by two and sits one back of second-placed Patrick Reed (71).

World No.1 and defending champion Jason Day is four shots off the lead at five under and tied for sixth.

Scott started his hot round by holing out for eagle from 90m and added six birdies with just two bogeys.

After two rounds of fruitless putting, coming off the back of a few months of the same, Scott finally broke the shackles. He made just 10m of total putts in the opening round and 18m in Round 2, but come Saturday he dropped in a whopping 50m of putts.

Day, the defending champion, was left to rue another round of wild driving. He hit just three fairways and with 14 through three rounds he ranks last in the field for driving accuracy.

Day and Scott are looking to become the first Australian in the 10-year history of the playoffs to win it all at next month’s Tour Championship, including the $US10m bonus.