   
| Former champ Scott poised for another great PLAYERS  PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Adam Scott's week has not gotten off to the best of starts, but the 2004 winner of THE PLAYERS Championship is hopeful that he can turn around his flagging fortunes. In the grand and glistening new clubhouse at the TPC Sawgrass, in a room next to the Champions Lockerroom, Scott on Tuesday suffered a setback. He is determined to put things right before the last putt drops Sunday night.  Adam Scott is off to a great start in 2007 as he eyes his second PLAYERS win. (Greenwood/WireImage)
Of course, it's only billiards. "There's a pool table in the room next door ... and Ian Poulter just beat me before I came in, so I've got to get him back," Scott told an assemblage of media Tuesday afternoon. But first, there are more pressing concerns. Like deciphering the revamped PLAYERS Stadium Course. Scott, 26, who captured the Shell Houston Open earlier this year for his fifth PGA TOUR title and has yet to miss a cut in his seven starts, is considered one of the favorites for this week's 34th PLAYERS, even though the golf course is vastly different from the track he conquered three years ago. Last year's renovation makes the Pete Dye-designed layout firmer and faster. There is no more rye grass in the rough now that the tournament is six weeks later. Much less predictable are the shot values. But Scott still has good vibes. With good reason. "You know, it was a big breakthrough for me, really," he said. "I think it was a big push along in my career at that point to break through relatively young and win THE PLAYERS. "There's always a nice feel in the air when you come here," added the talented Aussie, ranked fourth in the world and seventh on the FedExCup points list. "I feel you get that extra boost of confidence because you know you can play well around this course." Indeed, despite a third-round 82 last year that cost him a chance to contend, Scott has the sixth best scoring average in history at the TPC Sawgrass, 71.56. After missing the cut in his debut in '02, Scott has finished tied for 17th, first and joint eighth before a tie for 53rd in '06. There's other reasons for optimism, primarily that a tutorial session with swing instructor Butch Harmon has ironed out a flaw that kept him from contending at last week's Wachovia Championship. "My game is not in too bad a shape, actually," Scott said. "I obviously played well at Houston, and I was pretty happy with how I played at Augusta -- just a testing week, and I made a couple mistakes and made a couple of big numbers, so a little disappointing though I was happy with the way I performed. And last week was a little bit scratchy, but there was enough good stuff in there to make me feel confident about coming into this week. "I think a little work with Butch on the range this morning was good. I feel like my swing is back where it should be right now, striking a lot better," he added. "I was just a little bit open with my body, everything aiming left. So we squared that up; felt much better." Scott said his 2004 run to the title started with the quality of shots he was hitting at the time. His chipping and putting got a boost that week after some tips from his idol, fellow Aussie and former PLAYERS winner Greg Norman. He thinks he might be in a similar stretch this year. "When I got here in 2004, everyone who was around me at the time, and some players, saw how good I was striking it, and they thought I'd do well. Butch said early in the week he thought I'd win. I don't know, maybe I'll go ask him what he's feeling (now)." Of course, what really matters is what Scott thinks. "I feel like it's all coming together," he said. Another win this week and he can start sharpening up on his billiards. |
