Stress-free Scott to take aim at Masters

ADAM Scott feels finally learning to balance family duties with world-class golf has him poised for another great career stretch as he prepares to seek a second Masters green jacket in April.

Coming off his droughtbreaking win in Los Angeles, where he took down nine of the world’s top 10, Scott is in Mexico this week.

Now back in the top 10 himself, he’s returning to the World Golf Championship event there for the first time in three years.

Scott, a father of two, admits he struggled to achieve a work-life balance during a lean 2018 season. His world ranking plummeted to 76th and he was humbled by having to enter sectional qualifying for the 2018 US Open.

“A lot changed in my life from when I won the Masters [in 2013] until the middle of 2018,” Scott said yesterday.

“I was trying to balance being a high-level golfer with a lot of other responsibilities I found challenging.

“A second [child] really got my head spinning, but I’ve had incredible support from my wife and family. It took me a little while to find the right balance [and] some peace in my whole world.”

Scott feels ready for a run at another major title to go with his 2013 win at Augusta National. It is why he is at this week’s WGC event for the first time since 2017.

Before the Masters, Scott will also contest the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Players Championship and the WGC-Match Play.

“You’re really right into Masters preparation after the Players,” he said.

“The Match Play has [not typically] been on my schedule, but it’s another opportunity to see what I need to work on and stay competitively pretty fresh before the Masters.”

Scott is among five Australians contesting the no-cut WGC event at Mexico City’s Club de Golf Chapultepec.

He’s joined by fellow 2020 PGA Tour winners Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith, while Dubai Classic winner Lucas Herbert qualified through the European Tour’s current money list and Scott Hend from the Asian Tour. The golf course is perched 2500m above sea level, which allows a golf ball to fly up to 20 per cent further.