For the first time since his history-making victory at the Masters in April, the undisputed hero of Australian golf in 2013 fronted Australian media to re-live a year he&aposll never forget. World Number 2 Adam Scott, fresh from receiving the keys to the Gold Coast from the city&aposs Mayor, admitted the whole home return, particularly to home territory on the Gold Coast, was overwhelming. “It&aposs a life changer I guess. I think all the great things that come from winning the Masters are still yet to happen for me as a golfer personally. I think knowing I&aposm going back there for the next hopefully 50 years or something, being involved with that golf club and that golf tournament for that amount of time and going to the Champions dinner, attending with other legends of the game, are going to be the big things that I feel like are life changers, just being a golfer and loving the game,” Scott said. With the victory comes renewed interest in the game by players and fans which Scott is working with the major golf bodies to promote further and increase participation nationally. He was a key part of Golf Australia&aposs recently released PlayGolf.com.au commercial to engage people of all ages in the sport. “I think the state of Australian golf professionally is in a good place and a little spark like the Masters might be just what we need at a junior level and then through the Club level to get some excitement back at the Club level golf and with lady golfers as well,” Scott said. “We need to target every area and I think my role in that is winning the Masters and coming back and playing. I think that&aposs my role. I think it&aposs up to the governing bodies to take advantage of that the best they can and I hope they do, because golf&aposs been a great sport in Australia for a long time and I want to see it that way,” he added. Relieved of the pressure of Major championship win, Scott said his only pressure at the Australian tournaments was that which he puts on himself. He wants to perform – and wants to win the only one of Australia&aposs three major tournaments not already in his trophy cabinet. “I expect myself to play well every week I play and I want to contend this week,” Scott said. “To get all three of the big tournaments would be amazing. So, I&aposm going to put the same pressure on myself. I don&apost think it&aposs any different playing in front of friends or family or playing overseas where I don&apost know anyone, it all comes from the pressure that I put on myself and once I step inside the ropes I&aposm not really too distracted by what&aposs going on outside the ropes.” Distracted no, but the Queenslander admitted that after winning the fabled Green Jacket, he was keen to get home and celebrate. “I wanted to come home straight away after winning but thought if I come home and start celebrating I might not make it back and I don&apost want to waste this year just with winning the Masters and resting on my laurels a little bit and letting things slip. I wanted to take advantage of the confidence and the momentum and see how far I could push myself this year,” Scott said. “It&aposs been fantastic to be home. Last night was great, to kind of share the Green jacket with everybody and a couple of stories.” Despite discussions around how tough the course will play, Scott is confident that the course will be more challenging than those predictions. “It&aposs playing a lot tougher than I anticipated and I think we&aposre in for a pretty good challenge this week. It&aposs going to ask more questions than just holing putts this week; you&aposre going to have to hit some fairways. The greens are really firm and to hit some precise irons you&aposre going to need to be hitting out of the fairway,” the World Number 2 said.
Author: Golf Australia