Scott: I’m not done as a true golf force
ADAM Scott has no doubt he can claw back up the world golf rankings in 2018 after bouncing back from a similarly poor season only two years ago.
His missed cut at last week’s Australian PGA Championship, in his own backyard at the Gold Coast, signed off a winless year interrupted by the birth of his second child and regular bouts of sickness.
At world No.31 and unlikely to tee up until the US PGA Tour event at Riviera Country Club in mid February, Scott has ensured his worst end-ofyear ranking since 2009, after starting 2017 at No.7.
But the 2013 Masters champion said nailing two US Tour wins early in 2016 after a disappointing and winless 2015 season has taught him his form slumps don’t last long.
“You can sharpen your focus after a disappointing year,” Scott saidf. “You can really identify a few things that you might want to change or work on. These off-form years are also learning years.
“In 2015, it was a very similar kind of year for me.
“I had just played OK, but OK doesn’t look very good amongst the best players in the world. Then I came out in 2016 and really put it all together nicely.”
Scott’s best results during the 2017 US season were ties for sixth at the Players Championship and ninth at Augusta.
However, four top-10s and nine top-25 results were not what the 13-time PGA Tour winner demands of himself.
“I’ve still got my best years ahead of me and my body is in great shape,” the 37-year-old Scott said. “I’m looking forward to this next year for a lot of reasons. I’ve still got my best years ahead of me.”
GOLD Coast golfing great Rodger Davis has called on officials to get the Australian PGA Championship party started earlier.
As revealed in yesterday’s Bulletin, the tournament will return to Royal Pines for the next three years in a major boost to golf in the region.
Former leading golfer Davis said while having dates set in stone can only be a help to the general public, organisers could add even more to the overall atmosphere of the PGA at Royal Pines Resort.
“In my opinion I’d play a touch earlier than usual and have a real party atmosphere after the games on Saturday and Sunday,” Davis said.
“For the Gold Coast in general this event can be nothing but a major benefit – and they have three more years to make it even bigger and better.”
During his career Davis won two of the biggest events in Australian golf – and both were in home surrounds of the Gold Coast.
Which is why the veteran believes confirmation that the Australian PGA Championship will run for at least another three years here is huge news for the tourist mecca.
“I think it’s great,” said Davis, who claimed the 1990 Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup (1990) and two Sanctuary Cove Classics (1991-92).
“At one stage it looked as though maybe this year was going to be the last but RACV extended for another year.
“So for them to then extend it for two more years is even better news.”
Tourism and Events Queensland and City of Gold Coast yesterday confirmed their commitment to the Australian PGA Championship.
A day after the close of one of the most successful events to date, and where Queenslander Cameron Smith hoisted the Kirkwood Cup in a thrilling playoff over Jordan Zunic, the three organisations have celebrated the extension.
This will tee off with the 2018 PGA Championship which will be played from November 29 to December.
The tournament is a flagship event on the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia and is co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
TEQ chief executive Leanne Coddington said she was delighted to extend an already successful partnership.
“TEQ has a proud history with this event and our successful partnership with the PGA of Australia has resulted in strong crowd numbers as well as new initiatives,” she said.