Surprise pick Scott eager to play well, unite team

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Greg Norman surprised with his pick of Adam Scott, but Scott came to San Francisco off a strong finish at Turning Stone.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Greg Norman is a mentor and measuring stick for nearly all Australian golfers, but none quite as much as Adam Scott.

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The International Team captain has long been a confidant for the young man who many believed would seamlessly pick up where the two-time major champion left off. Even so, it came as something of a surprise last month when Norman selected Scott as one of his Captain's Picks for this week's Presidents Cup.

Granted, the 29-year-old Aussie was ranked as high as third in the world as recently as 18 months ago. But Scott comes to Harding Park a distant 65th after a precipitous slide that saw him post just one top-10 finish all year -- and that came during the second week in January.

Some observers saw Norman's selection of Adam Scott as a way to help his protégé, playing in his fourth Presidents Cup, get back on track. The captain even said as much on Tuesday as he met with reporters for the first time.

"Sometimes, to me, a shot of confidence in the arm of an individual, just like giving him a spot, is what is necessary to turn him around," Norman said. "He's playing well, he's excited about being here, and he doesn't feel like there's any extra pressure on him."

Under the glare of the spotlight about three hours later, the unfailingly polite Scott answered questions about his situation honestly. But it was clear he was ready to put the queries -- as well as the spate of bad play -- behind him.

"I didn't need a kick in the pants to work hard," Scott said firmly. "I've never worked harder in my life than this year. But certainly it gave me a big confidence boost to just to get on the team."

An unusually descriptive Scott said he spent the last three weeks "working my ass off," and it showed last week at the Turning Stone Resort Championship, which he added to his schedule after Norman made him a Captain's Pick.

The Aussie tied for 35th, but it could have been better had he not been stuck in neutral with a round of even par on Sunday. He finished the week 8 under -- which was his lowest 72-hole total since he tied for second in Hawaii and marked just the third time all year he had broken par for four rounds.

Most importantly for this week -- one where Scott could potentially play four matches with one of his Presidents Cup teammates -- he hit 73 percent of his fairways and 69 percent of his greens in regulation. He putted well enough to produce 20 birdies, too.

Consider that, for the year, Scott ranks 152nd in driving accuracy, 156th in greens in regulation and 183rd in putts, and it's easy to see why last week's numbers were so encouraging.

Scott has been concentrating on getting his hands higher on the putter and slowing down the tempo of his stroke. He has also strived to improve his posture at address in his golf swing and to avoid the big numbers that can turn an average round into something mediocre.

"It was solid last week," Scott acknowledged. "Gee, I wish it was 100 percent, but it was really something good to come into here with some solid stuff and not erratic golf like I've been playing.

"That's going to be good for me to build on. It's one of those things where this week you can just propel your game up a level, and whether that's just going it on your own or whether your partner helps take you there and (you) ride his coattails a little bit and really lift your game."

Geoff Ogilvy, who is a potential partner for his good friend and countryman this week, expects Scott to play well at Harding Park.

"He has been happy with the way his golf has been coming along for a few months,'" Ogilvy said. "It's all relative, obviously, but he wasn't playing his best at the start of the year. He started coming along towards the end of the year, and I think he was quite happy last week. ... If he holed a few more putts, he would have been right there at the end."

Ogilvy also doesn't think it's fair for people to question the desire of Scott, who prefers to ply his trade around the world and who has been involved in several high-profile romances during the last two years.

"Everyone has their theories," Ogilvy said. "I don't know how he spoke to you guys, but to us he's pretty passionate about his golf, and that's all he wants to be. ... He is as dedicated to being a good golfer as anyone else."

Scott is also a popular teammate, which entered into Norman's decision to choose the Aussie over four or five other players he considered.

"When you look at Adam in totality, not only his playability, but his compatibility with the other players (it made sense)," Norman said. "He's a great team member. If you ever get to see him connect with the players ... in our team rooms, it's just phenomenal."

Even U.S. Captain Fred Couples, who isn't privy to the opposition's inner sanctum, was glad to see Scott back on the International Team.

"I have competed as much against probably 80 percent of their team, and the hugs and kisses are fun, and I want them to all play well," Couples said. "I went up to Adam and had been texting Adam, telling him I'm very happy he made the team because he's a good friend."

At least, until the first match on Thursday, that is.