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By Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator

ATLANTA -- How to Define a Successful Season, according to Adam Scott.

Adam Scott after winning The TOUR Championship in 2006. (WireImage)

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Question No. 1 -- Did I meet pre-season goals?

"It was good to get back [at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola], certainly. That kind of was the first goal of the year after winning [in 2006]. You know, it's purely a tournament that you can win it and not get the chance to defend so I'm pleased to be back," said Scott, who is ranked seventh in the standings after the first three events of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

Since six of 19 previous TOUR Championship winners have missed their chance to make a run at a successful title defense the following year, simply making the 30-man field can be deemed somewhat of a feat.

Question No. 2 -- How do I rate a one-win, six top-10s, zero-major-championships season?

"Golf-wise, I'd give myself a C, really. I'm a bit disappointed, especially after how consistently well I played last year. I expected more, and I expected myself to play a lot better than I did in the majors, really only playing decent at the PGA Championship. The others were extremely disappointing to me," Scott said, who tied for 27th at The Masters and British Open Championships, missed the cut at the U.S. Open and earned a tie for 12th at the PGA Championship.

One of just seven players on TOUR under age 30 with two or more victories, the 27-year-old Scott has five wins but is still feeling the heat to capture his first major title. His only win of 2007 came the week before the Masters at the Shell Houston Open, where Scott's tee shot landed in a water hazard on the 72nd hole, but he saved par with a clutch 48-foot putt to edge Stuart Appleby.

"I've obviously played well to win, but a little bit this year, I felt like I played all my good golf before I got to the majors, certainly the first two. I was playing great leading into the U.S. Open, as well, and then by the time Thursday rolled around, all my good golf was left out on the practice range.

"It's a matter of figuring out why that is and working it out so that next year when I step on the tee Thursday at Augusta [National Golf Club], I'm bringing my best golf the next four days."

Adam Scott during the final round of the BMW Championship last week in Lemont, Ill. (WireImage)

And question No. 3 -- Has the season taught me anything?

"I still think I've improved as a player. I mean, I've taken a lot out of this year. But I'm a little disappointed not to kick on from where I left off at the end of '06," Scott said, referring to his season-ending spurt in 2006 with a win, a second, a third and two other top-10 finishes in his final seven events.

Possessor of one of the most-envied and classic swings on TOUR, the long-hitting Scott ranks 13th in driving distance and 31st in greens in regulation. He has worked hard with coach Butch Harmon to get better constantly.

"I think my swing and ball striking has improved, and certainly management, as well, on the golf course. I think with good play, and being out here, and getting in contention and being under the heat a little bit, you can always improve and take something from it."

Another victory at THE TOUR Championship would certainly go a long way towards improving his view of his 2007 campaign, but in the 20-year history of the event, no player has ever won twice.

Note that the sentence above doesn't say that no player has ever won the tournament in back-to-back years. It says that -- despite a star-studded list of champions like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Tom Watson and Tom Kite -- not one has more than a single TOUR Championship victory on their resume.

For the Aussie, who plans to take next week off, then conclude his PGA TOUR season by playing in the Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club for Captain Gary Player's International squad, it would be nice to cap off his TOUR season with a win.

"I think obviously the TOUR Championship is the pinnacle of the season," said Scott, who will spend some of the offseason competing in Asia and Australia. "To have the Top 30 guys here this week is going to be another great event."

As for how the TOUR should define the success of its season -- and the debut of the FedExCup -- Scott said give it time.

"I think we've had three good (Playoff) tournaments so far," he said. "There are probably just a couple little changes certainly. You've got to give it a chance. It's the first year. If they can make some changes and tweak a little bit and make it better, then I think it'll be a success next year, as well."