Adam Scott returns to the scene of a career-turning moment for him when he tees it up in the World Golf Championship at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio tomorrow.
Scott won this event in 2011 after making major changes to his set-up, including the addition of a long putter and the hiring of Steve Williams as his caddie.
It sparked a return to great form that included his first major championship, the Masters in 2013, and a rise to No. 1 in the world.
Although Jason Day is taking all the limelight among Australians right now with his own rise to No. 1 in the world, Scott is still ranked No. 8, he is second in the Fedex Cup rankings behind Day in a one-two spread for Aussies, and he will be a huge chance at Firestone given that he has won here before.
“It’s a good driver’s golf course,” said Scott. "Some of the fairways are challenging to hit, especially on the front nine, and if you have one of those weeks where you are hitting them, you’re at a big advantage over most of the field.”
Scott has already won twice this year including a WGC event in March, and he said today he is looking to a strong result at Firestone to kickstart a stretch in which the players will contest both the Open Championship at Royal Troon and the PGA Championship at Baltusrol, with the PGA Tour playoffs wedged in between.
"Yes, I guess in some ways just for helping the momentum and the confidence going into the next two majors, a result is somewhat beneficial to that. It does help. But I've got to balance that. I've got to just make sure that I've really not disguising some bad form with some scrambling and putting, and that it's got to be really clicking. I'd like that to be where I really feel my game is this week.
"If it is, then I'm sure I'll get in contention and get that result, but you'd like to have see the whole package, not just one of those weeks where you play smart and you make a few extra putts and sneak in for a result.''
Scott is in the same group as Day tomorrow, teeing off at 11.48am local time (1.48am Sydney time). Matt Jones, Marcus Fraser, Nathan Holman, Marc Leishman also are playing the limited field, $US9.5 million event.