GREAT SCOTT

Aussie sets sights on five majors to be crowned...

FIVE majors is the pass mark to become a “legend of the game” according to Aussie Adam Scott who has made that his target in a world where Tiger Woods no longer makes players feel inferior.

Scott, who rocketed back in to the world top 10 last year on the back of his best season since 2016, this week returns to the scene of his maiden PGA

Tour breakthrough in Boston in 2003.

The only Aussie to win the US Masters, Scott said he managed early career success despite playing in the shadow of Woods, whose dominance during the early 2000s impacted every player.

“I was kind of on that rise up as being a young pro, but then once you kind of get near the top-10 in the world, it’s a real different level to maintain and push all the way up there,” Scott said in Boston.

“And I think, looking back on it now, it’s hard to remember exactly the influence and attention and intimidation that Tiger drew to golf tournaments, but it was significant to every player that was out here.

“I think if anyone was playing at that time and they were being honest, there’s no doubt he made a big difference.

“(Looking back) I think I would have told myself to kind of come up with a strategy to block out exactly what Tiger was doing in making us all feel slightly inferior to him.”

Woods will be playing just his fifth event of the year as the FedEx Cup playoffs begin with the Northern Trust Open this week. Scott no longer feels inferior to the 15-time major winner, having compiled 29 worldwide wins himself along with more than $75m in prize money. The Aussie also collected his lone major, the 2013 Masters, and reiterated that, despite now being 40, his target was to win more majors to be able to put down his clubs fully satisfied with his career.

“I always felt like a real legend of the game was a fivetime major champion and I still feel that’s relevant,” Scott said. “That’s not to take anything away from players who have won multiple majors and had incredible careers, but you know, there can only be so many legends of the game.

“You have to draw the line somewhere and that’s what I think about in my head and my goals, and I feel like I want to win multiple majors.

“You know, yeah, five still seems pretty clear to me. That’s a pretty tough goal. I only have a few years to do it but I still think something like that would be fantastic.”