Date: November 17, 2012
Author: Jonathan Healy, Omnisport

Scott braced for Poulter duel

World No.5 Adam Scott believes he will have to limit his mistakes and shoot a round in the 60s if he is to claim his first Australian Masters title at Kingston Heath on Sunday. Scott carded a mixed round of 67 on Saturday to move within one stoke of leader Ian Poulter and is in an excellent position to break his Masters drought. It was a set of costly mistakes late in his third round that stopped Scott from being in the outright lead, or at least tied for the premier position, and the 32-year-old knows he has to cut them out if he is to match it with the Englishman on Sunday. “I made two pretty soft bogeys on 16 and 17,” Scott said after his round. “Ideally I&aposd like to have cleaned them up today and I&aposd have a pretty nice scorecard of 65. “So if I can limit the mistakes tomorrow, I&aposm going to be in with a good chance.” But Scott knows just how tough Poulter will be to run down, given the world No.16&aposs ability to thrive in head-to-head situations. “We&aposre all going up against probably one of the toughest competitors in the game who&aposs leading,” he said. “He is high on confidence and he is a tough competitor once he is in with a shot of it. “So I need to stick right with him and keep the pressure on even overnight.” While the tournament looks destined to become a shootout between the two highest-ranked players in the field, the Australian is not ruling out someone from coming from the pack and trumping the duo. Queenslander Matthew Guyatt is the man closest to Scott in outright third at seven under, while New Zealander Mark Brown is a shot further back at minus six. There is also a group of three players at five under and, with tricky winds of up to 25 km/h predicted on Sunday, Scott said he will still have to shoot at least a round of three under par to be in with a chance. “It&aposs impossible to know, but the scoring&aposs been good this week,” he said. “I mean, I&aposm going to have to shoot something in the 60s to even think of having a chance. “Ian&aposs playing beautiful, so he&aposs not going to fade away and there&aposs a possibility for guys who are further back to shoot a low one like Ian did today.”