Adam Scott has declared his much anticipated switch from an anchored putter to the short stick a success after he finished tied for fourth in the WGC-Cadillac Tournament in Miami.
The Queenslander was using the conventional blade for the first time in a tournament in anticipation for the anchored putter ban to come into effect from January 1, 2016.
He finished four under the card in Florida behind winner Dustin Johnson, J.B.Holmes and Bubba Watson and was delighted with his early form with the Masters looming.
"Yeah, there’s a lot of good stuff," Scott said. "Certainly you can come out full of rust and not competitive. There was plenty of good stuff and I think I can really tighten a few things up. Obviously you need a few more shots on tour than you do back at home with the boys, so a few things to work on.
"But I was really happy with the way I took my game out of a break and back into play and certainly made my share of putts this week, which felt good switching back to a shorter putter."
Scott even decided it would not be long before he would turn into a "red-hot putter"
"I’m very happy with what I saw out there, made plenty of putts. The greens were beautiful, so you want to, felt like I started the year off on the right foot. Hopefully I can build on this and just get better."
He said he planned to stick with the new putter through to the Masters.
"That’s the plan. I think I putted very well overall and feel very comfortable with where I’m at with it," Scott said. "I’ve got to test it the next couple weeks again, and hopefully it keeps improving and I’ll be a red-hot putter by the Masters."
He said he hoped the next two weeks in Tampa and Bay Hill would help challenge his game and hone it for Augusta.
"I think it’s a good little stretch for me to challenge myself into a bit of form into Augusta.
"Next week I’m going to have to stay patient, it’s a little tighter golf course. Just really going to have to rein it in and challenge the swing a little bit. But I need to play. I need to be in that competitive form and this was a good chance.
"Maybe lack of competition just didn’t get me over the line on the back nine today when I could have snuck in and posted a number. So the next few weeks, get a bit of form going and hopefully be good for Augusta."
Scott has worked at home away from tournament play on his putting but said he had not done any extra work on the greens since he resumed competitive play.
"To be honest, I really have spent very little time on it. I feel like it’s in a good place, and I really don’t want to clutter myself at the moment with too much thought or try too hard.
"It’s one of those things I think I need to get out of my own way a little bit and that’s been something I’ve been thinking about just generally with my golf as I’ve been sitting at home with a lot of time on my hands, and it’s not that I’m not practising, it’s that I’m not stressing about it and everything is feeling good, and just kind of roll with it and stay on top of the fundamentals and hopefully I keep making putts."
Scott said he was not surprised to be in such good form so soon after a lengthy break.
"I just think I’ve tried to plan things better all the time, and I’d say that with my golf over the last five years, I’m not surprised. I’ve played some consistent golf because I think I’ve had a really good plan.
"And it’s not always right, but at least there’s a plan and I’m working towards something.
"And I would say that about coming out after a break, I’ve done it before had a long break and come out and I’ve tried to remember what I did and what I did wrong, and don’t do it this time. Just trying to keep on top of things, because the standard is so high. When the top players are playing well, it’s a very high standard, and you can’t afford to take a step back."
According to the former Masters champion the change from the long handled putter was not a major factor to adapt to.
"For me, I don’t think it was a big deal. I’ve been successful with the short putter before," he said.
"I think for guys who had never putted any other way, that’s a different story potentially. But it’s been a good thing for me. It’s given me something new to focus on and sometimes that’s nice, something fresh. When you’re just grinding away at the same old thing, that can get boring, just like any job has its moments.
By: Robert Grant