If Adam can control the nerves it could be a Masterly time
NOT many would have predicted Adam Scott’s flying start to his 2016 campaign, given he was having to revert to the standard- sized putter after several years wielding the long one.
A week after tying for second at Riviera in Los Angeles in his first tournament of the year, 36- year- old Scott sent an ominous signal to the 20- somethings in the shape of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, and Ricky Fowler that he has his mind set on a second Green Jacket when he triumphed at the Honda Classic last weekend.
And therein lies the Australian’s problem.
For despite being widely lauded as arguably the best ball-striker in the game, Scott’s ability to handle things when he is not quite functioning at 100% has always been his Achilles heel.
But top swing guru Hank Haney is quick to point out that Scott will not be the first – or the last – to suffer from this problem, and nerves are always a little bit more sensitive at the Majors.
“It’s not my department when I’m with my players at the Majors, but I do try to portray calmness myself,” admits the former coach to Tiger Woods.
“And I really try hard ahead of the Majors to get my players prepared and hitting the ball as well as they can going into the tournament because that is the best thing you can possibly do.
“A player knows when he is a touch off and when he senses that going into one of the big four, that is going to add to his tension level.
“When I was with Tiger those six years as an example, every year you really tried to dial him in the week before so he was hitting it at his best when he got on the plane to go to the tournament.
“That reduces the anxiety level but it doesn’t go away because you know it is a Major championship.
“But you also know that everybody is going to be nervous.
“While there is no easy solution, that is the thing that every golfer, whether trying to win his club championship or whatever it might be, has to remember.”
In Scott’s case, it might be better if he tried not to remember his litany of Major championship miscues in the past.
But last week, Scott had a third- round 66 despite a quadruple bogey at the 15th where he dumped two balls in the water.
Arriving at the same hole on Sunday, locked in a battle for the championship with Sergio Garcia, Scott beat his old demons with a routine par, then admitted his nerves were tested to the full when he stood on the tee.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t thinking about Saturday,” said the 2013 Masters champion with a laugh.
“I’m thrilled with where my game is right now, and hopefully I have not peaked too early.
“But I know how to use the confidence of a win now with my experience.
“Obviously you want to arrive at Augusta feeling your game is in good shape. But the key for me now is managing myself through this next run of big events right up to the Masters.”
Brave words, but the cynics will point to his chequered career and the fact his last win before the Honda on the US Tour was in 2014.
That said, the former Masters Champion points out he is now a happily married man with a young daughter, BoVera, who celebrated her first birthday when he was playing Riviera.
Perhaps the wee lass will prove to be the final piece in the jigsaw that sees Scott fulfill his obvious potential.