Advertisement

Great Scott: comeback win has Adam ready for Masters

The Masters can’t come soon enough for Adam Scott after he claimed a second successive victory, taking out the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship in Miami.

Mar 07, 2016, updated Mar 07, 2016
Adam Scott holds the Gene Sarazen Cup after winning the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. Photo: Wilfredo Lee, AP.

Adam Scott holds the Gene Sarazen Cup after winning the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. Photo: Wilfredo Lee, AP.

The 2013 Masters champion rallied from six shots back during a wild final round to triumph by one shot from Bubba Watson as the world’s best slugged it out on the Blue Monster course at Trump National Doral this morning, Australian time.

It capped a red-hot three weeks during which Scott also finished second in the Northern Trust Open in LA then claimed victory in the Honda Classic a week ago.

The 35-year-old Australian’s only concern now is holding his form as he prepares his bid for a second Masters title at Augusta National from April 7-10.

“I’d love to just bottle up where my game’s been at the last couple weeks and move forward a month,” said Scott.

“That’s going to be the hard thing for me to do is manage my expectations and also manage my game to keep it right here.

“I can’t just keep pushing. I have to pace myself so I don’t over-work it.

“It’s finding that balance …but obviously the confidence is going to be high. I just want to do everything to keep it there.”

Former world No.1 Scott’s win on Sunday was his 13th on the US tour and his second WGC title and it’s set to lift him from No.9 to No.6 in the rankings.

On a roller-coaster final day, Scott produced a ripping comeback after he fell six shots off the lead following two double bogeys in his opening five holes.

Rather than fall to pieces, as many players had already done in brutal winds, Scott charged.

A run of six birdies in nine holes set up a final round three-under-69 top finish at 12-under 276 and edge out Watson (68).

Overnight leader Rory McIlroy fell back with a 74 to be tied third with England’s Danny Willett (69) at 10-under.

A late shank out of a bunker and a final-hole approach that barely stayed out of the water provided an anxious finish, but Scott buried a six-foot par putt in the cup for the win.

It’s the first time Scott’s won back-to-back since his triumphs at the 2013 Australian Masters and Australian PGA.

He now owns more US tour titles than any active player under 40.

“I really can’t believe it. I don’t think I’ve processed what’s happened, especially today’s round. It was ugly and good, all in 18 holes,” he said.

“But to win a World Golf Championships means a lot to any of us. It’s special to win at this golf course and beat this great field.”

Scott overcame a third round quadruple bogey en route to winning the Honda Classic a week ago.

“I’ve used my experience to my advantage the last couple of weeks,” he said.

“I’ve realised these are tough courses. Although you never want quads and doubles you’re never out of it. It was such a challenge out there today.”

It was a below average week for the remaining seven Australians who combined to be 100 over par.

World No.2 Jason Day finished even par for the week and tied 23rd.

Marc Leishman finished two over while fellow Australians Nathan Holman, Marcus Fraser, Jordan Zunic, Scott Hend and Steven Bowditch all finished way off the pace.

Bowditch became the first player in WGC history and the first on the US PGA tour to fail to break 80 in four rounds since 1983 as he finished last, 49 shots behind Scott.

-Ben Everill, AAP

Local News Matters
Advertisement
Copyright © 2024 InDaily.
All rights reserved.