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Scott hungry for Open win at Pebble Beach

3 minute read

Adam Scott is desperate to add a US Open victory at Pebble Beach to a resume that includes the Masters at Augusta National.

ADAM SCOTT of Australia plays his shot from the eighth tee during the Fort Worth Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
ADAM SCOTT of Australia plays his shot from the eighth tee during the Fort Worth Invitational at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Picture: Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Adam Scott believes his hot results at golf's recent major championships have been building towards something special and hopes that is a US Open victory at the iconic Pebble Beach.

Scott has been Australia's form player at the majors, having legitimate chances to win each of the past four.

The 38-year-old shared the 36-hole lead at the Masters in April before a tie for eighth place at last month's US PGA Championship, while he finished third at last year's PGA.

He has also been in contention at the US PGA Tour's regular events, recording two runner-up finishes among five top-10 results this season.

"I've been in position and haven't quite got over the line, but my game is at a level where something big can happen," a defiant Scott said on Wednesday in California.

"It's not smoke and mirrors, it's really good."

But Scott's worldwide winless drought is more than three years.

He has not managed to convert myriad chances to win a second major since his breakthrough 2013 Masters victory.

But it has made the former world No.1 hungrier to lift a US Open trophy at one of golf's most iconic courses this week.

The list of US Open winners at Pebble Beach includes golfing greats Tiger Woods (2000), Tom Watson (1982) and Jack Nicklaus (1972).

"Pebble Beach is spectacular; it's like the (British) Open at St Andrews in terms of special venues," Scott said

"It might be the most spectacular venue for a golf tournament in the world."

Scott has been firing on all cylinders, highlighted by a second placing at the Memorial Tournament - his most recent tournament.

He ranks within the top 25 on the PGA Tour for driving, iron play, short game and in putting.

"Certainly tee to green it's very strong and back in a place where I'd put it up with my best stuff," Scott said.

"Everyone looks at how I hit the ball, but in the past 12-18 months my short game has been very good and I've leant on that a lot this year to get these good results."

The key for Scott at Pebble Beach will be continuing his ball-striking brilliance while staying patient on the devlish poa annua greens.

Poa annua is a grass common to California's coast and becomes bumpy as it grows in the afternoon, making it difficult to read and prone to random bounces when putting.

Scott spearheads a big-name quartet of Australians at the US Open, including his fellow former world No.1 Jason Day, as well as Marc Leishman and Cameron Smith.

Day has finished second twice at the US Open while he owns five top-10s from eight.

Australia will also field four qualifiers - Aaron Baddeley, Matt Jones, Marcus Fraser and Brett Drewitt.

Baddeley played in the 2000 and 2010 US Opens at Pebble Beach.

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