Adam Scott still battles the ghosts of his 2012 British Open collapse
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Look, it’s tough, very tough, to feel bad for Adam Scott. The guy’s rich, good-looking, and one of the best in the world at his globe-trotting profession. But let’s give it a shot for just a second.
Three years ago almost to the day, Scott stood on the 15th tee at Royal Lytham in the final round of the 2012 Open Championship, holding a four-shot lead on the field and seeing, right in front of him, the opportunity to win his first major.
You probably remember how that turned out. Scott bogeyed the next four holes, failing to one-putt any of them, and basically fumbled the Claret Jug right into the hands of Ernie Els. Such a loss can break a man, and for many months afterward, Scott wandered through the golf landscape dazed and lost. He achieved a measure of redemption by winning the Masters nine months later, but to this day, that Royal Lytham meltdown haunts him.
When asked about how he rebounded from that day, Scott paused for a long, long time, gathering his thoughts. “Probably … I tried to brush it off, and I did see all the positives. I played so well, and really, it was the first time I’d ever kind of controlled the outcome of a major championship,” he said. “That really did hurt.”
Now, he finds himself in position to even the scales on this side of the Atlantic. He finished Friday’s round at 7-under, two strokes back of clubhouse leader Danny Willett, possessing both momentum and confidence. “I’ve really enjoyed kind of battling for this tournament the last few years, and every time I put myself in contention, I feel like this is what I want to do,” he said. “Most of the time it doesn’t go my way, but it’s a good feeling being there.”
He’s also got a not-so-secret weapon: Stevie Williams, the caddie who was on the bag for Scott’s 2012 win, as well as a few others for a fella named Woods. Scott coaxed Williams out of retirement to help out at this year’s majors, and so far, the partnership has produced results.
“I think we hit our stride straight away,” Scott said. “Obviously he lays it on the table for you, and you have to like it or not. That’s worked really well, and he certainly knows how to get the best out of me on the golf course, and that was our goal for these few weeks that he’s going to caddie, and so far we’re doing a pretty good job.”
In the end, though, this is Scott’s opportunity to engrave his name in British Open history, and he’s determined not to let another chance slide through his hands. “I’ve been really close to lifting this trophy, and I’m very motivated to do it this weekend now that I’m in this position,” he said. “I’d be very disappointed if I never did in my career when I got so close.”
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter.
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