Scott joins golf's elite with Players Championship victory
IN: News | US PGA | The Players Championship (2004) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 29 Mar 2004
Although many have been saying it for a few years, the performance by Adam Scott to win the Player Championship confirms the long held opinion that he is the 'next best thing' in the game.
The hype has been building ever since the young man turned professional in mid-2000 when he headed to Europe, gaining several starts in European Tour events firstly as an amateur and then, following his fifth place at the Benson & Hedges that year, turning professional just prior to the Compaq European Grand Prix. By the end of 2000 he had accumulated enough money via the invites and status he had achieved to have full status in 2001. He has since gone on to win four times on the European Tour and, until this week, once in the US at last year's Deutsche Bank Open.
Perhaps the greatest asset Scott possesses, in addition to his marvellous technique, is his patient approach. He took his time before tackling the US Tour on a regular basis, preferring instead to find his professional feet and the benefit his game and confidence has derived as a result is now there for all to see. Not long after turning pro, Scott would say, "A couple of seasons in Europe will do me good learning a wide range of shots and probably make me a better player before hitting the US." There can be little doubt that has been the case.
His 18th position in the World Ranking leading into this week, will improve several places, especially given the strength of the field he beat this week. He is now likely to be a genuine contender for the majors in 2004, especially in two weeks time at Augusta where he has had his best finish in major golf, finishing 9th on debut in 2002.
Starting his long association with coach Butch Harmon while at the University of Nevada, Scott's swing has improved from an already solid base to the point that it was able to answer most questions in today's final round.
He started round four with a two shot lead over Frank Lickliter II and Kevin Sutherland and did all he needed to in his opening holes. His only blemish early in his round came with a three putt bogey at the 3rd, but there would be four birdies on the front nine to establish a four shot lead over Kenny Perry and Phil Mickelson by the time he turned for home. At that point Padraig Harrington, playing an hour ahead, was emerging as perhaps Scott's most serious challenger. Harrington was out in even par but once he made the turn, a run started that would carry him from being an also ran to the possibility of victory. A birdie at the par five 11th, was followed by two pars, then birdies at 14 and 15 followed by a brilliant eagle at the 16th after the most gutsy of second shots left him just three feet from the hole.
At the dangerous 17th, his putt from thirty feet left of the hole somehow managed to not go in when it appeared that was its destination. Then at the last he converted his fine second shot from just thirteen feet to finish at 11 under for the tournament. That then became the mark for Scott as, at the same time as Harrington was walking from the 18th green, Scott was taking a bogey at the 14th and so the difference was just two. With the dangers ahead, Scott would need to play great and smart golf to maintain his lead.
At the 15th Scott drove it left and then left his second short and left. From a very difficult lie he hit what must rank as one of the most crucial shots of the round when he was able to get up and down to save par. That would keep him two ahead and now to the 16th. From a perfect drive and from 187 yards he took the safe option missing the green left and erring on safe side of the reachable par five. His pitch was brilliant but he was not able to convert what would have been a tournament sealing five footer for birdie and he headed to the hole which has the capacity to make grown men cry, the 17th. A nine iron twenty-five feet left saw an outside birdie chance just miss and so only one hurdle was left for the 23-year-old to tackle, namely the par four 18th and one of the course's toughest challenges.
An iron from the tee seemed the safe play with a two shot lead, but it left him a long way back, more then 200 yards in fact and from there he surprisingly pulled his second into the water left. His penalty drop left him just short of the front of the green but he faced a three tiered green to negotiate in order to set up a reasonable bogey putt for the title.
That putt, from ten feet, would drop and in doing so Scott avoided the agony of losing the tournament that had been his for so long.
The $US1.44 million prizemoney is no doubt a boost, as also are the ranking points which must surely get him close to the world's top ten and the knowledge that he can beat a field of this quality over a course this demanding.
Adam Scott has well and truly arrived and he now looks ahead two weeks to Augusta in the knowledge that it's a golf course that suits his game and that the timing is right for him to seriously challenge for his first major title.
Other finishes of note were firstly that of Harrington who served notice that he was back to where he was at this time last year when he was runner up at this tournament. His recent form had been solid, if not spectacular, although he did make the final eight at the recent Accenture Match Play.
Phil Mickelson's share of third further consolidated his fine start to 2004 and perhaps hinted that a win at Augusta is not the impossible dream. Seven top tens in eight starts this year, gives every indication that the long awaited major is not the forlorn hope it may have been three months ago.
Of the other Australians in the field, Parry was the next best after Scott with yet another good finish in 13th place. His final round was spoiled by a slow start but he was solid from there on.
Victorian Geoff Ogilvy did all the hard work early in his final round, getting to four under through eleven holes and five under through sixteen, before falling victim to the treacherous 17th with a triple bogey. He would finish in 16th position at three under. Steve Elkington was 26th, Robert Allenby 33rd, Rod Pampling and John Senden 58th and Greg Norman 81st.
The USPGA Tour now heads to Duluth near Atlanta for the Bell South Classic.
