US Masters champion Adam Scott believes he is well placed to achieve redemption at the British Open starting at Muifield this week.
Scott is out to make up for a final round collapse which cost him last year’s Open and a poor performance at this year’s US Open, won by friend and rising rival Justin Rose of England.
The Queenslander finished 45th at US championship and has been working hard to recapture the form which saw him become the first Australian to win the Masters.
"I’m looking to build a bit of momentum to go into the Open and build the confidence back to where I want it heading towards a major championship," Scott said.
"Especially after the US Open, I feel a result is needed, just some kind of result to keep the confidence high and move over to Europe feeling like I’m ready to compete.
"I want to contend. It has been since the Masters that I’ve not really been in contention, so getting those feelings would be nice again."
Scott, 33 this Tuesday, handed South African Ernie Els the British title when he made bogeys on the last four holes at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
However, he said that he had already regained some poise after his disappointing US Open finish and was confident of challenging at Muirfield.
"It was a good feeling…I was on the range with a purpose and with a really clear thought again for the first time probably since winning the Masters," Scott said.
"So I would like to put myself in good shape this week to then try to get to the Open and redeem myself maybe after last year."
Scott dismissed any thoughts he would take the demons from last year into this week’s tournament.
"I’m really looking forward to going back and trying to get myself in a similar kind of situation, a chance to win the Open.
"The hardest thing is going to be curbing the expectations right from the start and just kind of building my way into that position.
"But it’s exciting. Every tournament, I feel, is an opportunity for me now, even more so after winning the Masters, to just build on this.
"Focusing has been a little tougher, but I feel like now the US Open is behind and another major is gone, it’s time," Scott said.
"Somewhat understandably you can kind of get lost a little bit. You can just float along. I was playing OK but it just wasn’t quite the same as beforehand and now there’s a purpose again for sure."
Rose, meanwhile, gave Scott credit for boosting his confidence high enough to score his first major.
After his victory at Merion, Rose said Scott had sent him a text message ahead of the US Open telling him: “This is your time, this is our time” but also said he was inspired by the Australian.
“I took a couple things away from that (Scott’s) victory,” Rose said. “One, that I feel I prepared actually with Adam pretty much in the Bahamas before.
"We both were there the week before the Masters, and we had a couple of games. And my game was in great shape, his game was in great shape.
"I took his money both times we played before the Masters.
"I thought that’s not fair that he went and won the tournament. But I consider him a contemporary of mine and a great friend of mine.”
Rose also said the way Scott handled the disappointment of his flop at Lytham last year was a vital factor.
“The other thing that I really learned from Adam was that I wasn’t scared of the heartache of losing one,” he said.
“The way he handled himself at Lytham, I think, is something that he needs as much praise on as winning the Masters.
"I think it’s amazing the way he has just been himself after that loss and after that win. That’s something that I think I learned the most from him was how he dealt with that disappointment.
"And I was willing to put my game on the line, was willing to put my confidence on the line by just putting myself in that situation and just because I saw how he handled it and how he was capable of coming through it.
"Rory (McIlroy) did the same thing after the Masters, coming on to win (the US Open) a few months later. So you can learn a lot from that.
By: Robert Grant