Great Scott in Open contention again
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It’s been a good day for the Aussies.
With Australia well in command in the 2nd Ashes test at Lords, Adam Scott – the no.1 golfer from Down Under – is threatening to win the Open Championship. Again.
It was Scott of course who capitulated at Royal Lytham in 2012, putting himself firmly in the driving seat and seemingly having the Open in his pocket only to blow it all away by signing off with four straight ever-so-painful bogeys.
A year later he went close again at Muirfield and last summer finished in a tie for fifth at Hoylake two months after reaching world No 1 a week after his 11th PGA Tour victory.
Scott became Australia’s first winner of the Masters when he beat Angel Cabrera in a play-off in 2013 after they had tied on nine under par, thus easing the pain of his Lytham disaster.
But how he would love to win the Open, specially at the Home of Golf, and the way he’s playing and striking the ball at the moment few would bet against him.
Well into the back nine of his 2nd round, he was looking imperious and in scintillating form, smoothly going through the gears – and the field.
He was looking good at -6 and a serious threat to 2nd round frontrunners Danny Willett and Scot Marc Warren: at one point it didn’t seem he could miss with his broomhandle putter which sank back-to-back birdies on holes 11 and 12.
This presents Scott with his last chance to win the Claret Jug with his beloved broomhandle – the long handled putter is outlawed from next year.
And that’s something legendary South African Gary Player, winner of nine majors, completely agrees with, saying: “The long putter allows you to hide your nerves and nerves are an integral part of the game of golf.”
The broomhandle didn’t do too much for Scott’s nerves coming down the stretch at Lytham three years ago…his magic wand suddenly turned into a cursed one.
