Adam Scott has one simple message for Australia’s leading professionals who have struggled in both the majors and the US Tour this year: work harder.
In the face of just one win in America in 2012, Australia’s poorest result there in a decade, Scott says there is no easy fix.
"It’s getting harder and harder to compete and win on the PGA Tour,’ the World No.5 said recently.
"We have a ton of talented guys but more so than ever talent doesn’t get the job done out here," he told AAP.
"Everyone out here is working extremely hard, everyone is very motivated, and I think it’s a wake-up call to all of our guys.
"’I’m not having a go at anyone. We all just need to stand up and take note that we have to work harder and we have to be better.’
Of the Australians on the circuit this year, just one – Victorian Marc Leishman – has won. Leishman took out the Travelers Champiosnhip in June.
It is a measly return considering Australians have collected 33 events over the past 10 years but the year began full of promise with players like Scott, Jason Day, Geoff Ogilvy, Aaron Baddeleyite and John Senden feeling optimistic about their chances.
"I’d agree it hasn’t been the best year for us as a group,’ said Scott, who had five top 10s on the US tour from 16 starts. I pushed myself really hard and am giving myself an average mark this year.
"I didn’t execute the way I wanted to with everything and while there were lots of positives to take from it at the end of the day I didn’t get what I wanted."
Scott led the British Open by four shots with four holes to play only to collapse with a string of home nine bogeys and lose to Ernie Els, extending Australia’s major championship drought beyond six years.
Scott and fellow Queenslander John Senden were Australia’s two most consistent performers, with Senden racking up five top 10s and 11 top 25s from 22 starts.
And they were the only Australians to qualify for the Tour Champiosnhips, but both finished well down the leaderboard.
Day, Ogilvy, Baddeley, Chalmers, Leishman, Robert Allenby, Scott and Senden have secured their tour cards for next year and will be joined by Scott Gardiner and Victorian Cameron Percy, who will qualify from the secondary webdotcom Tour.
Rod Pampling, Nick O’Hern, Stuart Appleby, Nathan Green, Matt Jones, Gavin Coles, Mathew Goggin and Steven Bowditch are among those hoping for big results in the autumn to get inside the top 125 on the money list.
By: Robert Grant