Australian golf nice Adam Scott confirmed on Wednesday morning that he’ll come house to do battle with fellow inexperienced jacket winner Rory McIlroy within the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne from December 4-7.
Earlier than Scott locks horns with profession grand slam winner McIlroy, he’ll return to his boyhood membership of Royal Queensland for the Australian PGA Championship from November 27-30.
The 2013 Masters champion will then end off his Australian summer time by taking part in The Cathedral Invitation from December 9-10 alongside the likes of Marc Leishman and fellow Australian main winner Geoff Ogilvy and Ian Baker-Finch.
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Scott’s dedication is a big increase for Australian golf after he opted to remain in his household house in Switzerland on the finish of the final yr as a substitute of travelling south for the showpiece occasions on the Australian golf calendar.
Gruelling campaigns by the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoff and the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai, as nicely a file eleventh Presidents Cup look, left the 45-year-old exhausted.
However this yr he insists he’s planning his schedule higher to be contemporary for a visit to house shores, and the return of the Australian Open to Royal Melbourne for the primary time since 1991 proved to be a large incentive.
“Clearly by no means actually eager to miss that chance, nevertheless, I type of made a private choice final yr to not come down and play,” Scott stated.
“However, excited to come back house, play at my house membership, Royal Queensland, within the (Australian) PGA and, after all, very thrilling to see the Australian Open transfer to Royal Melbourne this yr for the primary time in my profession.
“So, I’m glad I’m going to get that chance in the end.”
Scott received the Australian Open at New South Wales Golf Membership in 2009, however McIlroy denied him a second at Royal Sydney in 2013.
The pair went toe-to-toe down the stretch, and McIlroy claimed victory by a shot after he made birdie on the final gap as Scott made bogey.
The prospect of a return bout shouldn’t be solely appetising for Australian golf, however the presence of the Northern Irishman on the famed venue has additionally made a splash among the many present PGA Tour gamers.
Scott, who holds sway as a participant director, has been within the ear of a number of of his colleagues, and believes there could also be extra huge title commitments to come back.
“It made huge headlines that Rory was coming right down to play in Australia,” Scott stated.
“That pushed Royal Melbourne on the market much more and there are a good few guys who performed the Presidents Cup in ‘19 at Royal Melbourne, and it’s actually gotten lots of consideration from the gamers – proper by the ranks, from the highest guys on down.
“Royal Melbourne has an unbelievable historical past and repute that I believe lots of guys want to expertise.”
He added: “There’s undoubtedly been 100 occasions extra curiosity within the Australian Open and the occasions in Australia this yr than the previous couple of years.”
“I solely have good issues to say, clearly. I’m fully biased,” Scott stated with a chuckle as a talked about his discussions with fellow PGA Tour gamers.
“However it’s arduous, it’s an terrible time of yr for them with Thanksgiving.
“I believe if we are able to proceed to supply occasions at nice venues, the Sandbelt specifically, we’ll see extra guys prioritise it sooner or later.”
The approaching summer time appears like the start of a brand new wave of momentum for Australian golf.
McIlroy is locked in to play subsequent yr’s Australian Open too at Kingston Heath, one other iconic Melbourne Sandbelt venue which will even host the Presidents Cup in 2028.
The golf competitors for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Video games will probably be performed at Royal Queensland, and Scott believes such excessive profile tournaments may usher in a brand new period for the game in his house nation.
“I simply typically really feel like there’s lots of good issues occurring golf-wise in Australia,” Scott stated.
“Quite a lot of issues to look ahead to. I really feel the Aussie Open going to Royal Melbourne and Rory McIlroy coming down, there’s lots of momentum to construct off.
“The Presidents Cup in just a few years goes to be large. One other nice venue on the Sandbelt. All this stuff, I really feel like there’s an ideal alternative perhaps into the brand new glory years of Australian golf into the subsequent decade.”
This yr’s Australian Open will even be the primary time the event is performed as a stand-alone competitors since 2019.
After back-to-back cancellations because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the boys’s Australian Open was performed at the side of the ladies’s and All Talents occasions.
Cameron Smith was probably the most vocal critic among the many gamers, however Scott had additionally expressed his displeasure with the format previously.
He now believes the suitable transfer has been made to permit every event to face by itself two ft once more.
“I really feel prefer it type of dilutes every of the occasions, that was my take,” Scott stated.
“I don’t assume it boosted the entire occasions and that might be my greatest takeaway.
“There have been some logistical issues from taking part in in it like there have been too many individuals on the golf course and it was extremely gradual, and there have been some points with the draw.
“I really feel like on the nationwide championship stage, once more I maintain the Australian Open in excessive regard, we don’t need that.
“I believe it’s good that we’ve moved away from it.
“I believe there’s a chance for every of those occasions to flourish on their very own.”
As for his personal sport, Scott confirmed he’s nonetheless in good contact by taking part in within the remaining group within the remaining spherical of the US Open.
He fell away to a share of twelfth with a disappointing final day, and he additionally got here within the high 20 on the PGA Championship.
However he missed the reduce at The Open earlier this month, after doing the identical at The Masters for the primary time since 2009.
His play on the PGA Tour has been patchy, sitting eighty fifth within the FedEx Cup standings at current, however Scott believes he’s near notching one other win.
“The Open was simply disappointing. I performed poorly on the Friday. I received out of types within the wind and couldn’t determine it out,” Scott stated.
“There are lots of issues I believe I might do otherwise.
“The US Open was additionally disappointing to go away with no outcome, and that’s type of how my yr’s been.
“All my good golf has probably not been getting the outcome I needed.
“To be within the combine with 9 to go on the US Open, and to be within the combine with 9 to go on the PGA Championship nonetheless provides me sufficient confidence that I’m doing sufficient of the suitable issues.
“I simply must iron out a few issues to recover from the road.”