Usurped by the wunderkind, Adam Scott is not one for moaning. In golf, as far as the world rankings are concerned, the throne is taken, vacated, retaken. It's a sort of game of thrones; and, as of now, the Australian has vacated the seat and watched as Rory McIlroy, who filled it before him, has returned to take the top spot.
Disappointed at losing the number one ranking? A shake of the head. “It’s not extremely disappointing, I think the right guy is at number one at the moment,” said Scott of his usurper.
“He’s played the best over the last couple of months. And the way I think I like to see the rankings work, and number one, is the guy who is winning the most tournaments should be the number one player. He’s won three really big tournaments this summer; and I’ve won one event.”
Scott, who has dropped back to second in the world behind McIlroy, added: “You want the rankings to work and favour guys that win big events. I think it is fair at the moment. I hope I could go ahead and win this week and maybe go back to number one. But there’s no doubt Rory has played the best golf over the last few months.”
Bigger events
Rather than an sense of capitulation, Scott – who has adopted a policy of carefully mapping out a playing schedule to target the Major championships and bigger events – is ready to take on McIlroy.
For his part, he doesn’t yet see McIlroy having the same dominance as Woods had for the best part of two decades.
In making a comparison between the two situations, Scott said: “The dominance of Tiger’s play over a 10-year period is unmatched I’d have to say, quite incredible.
“I think the biggest difference between me seeing Tiger play like that when I was a lot younger, less experienced and not as good a player; and seeing a guy like Rory really stamp his authority down, is that I believe I’m a better player and I can play at that level.
“And I think 10 or 15 years ago, I didn’t have that belief, through lack of experience or whatever it might be.
“I think the biggest thing that held me back was in not believing and, probably, most guys felt like we were beaten before we got out there.
‘Tons of reasons’
“And that’s different now for tons of reasons . . . it’s only motivating to see Rory play so well and know that I feel this is my time.So I’ve got to beat whatever Rory is trying out there and I believe I can.”
Scott, whose lone Major championship win came in last year's US Masters, has been consistent this season without setting the world alight in the same way that McIlroy has this summer. The Australian's only win on tour in 2014 came in the Colonial tournament and he has featured without truly contending the Majors (tied-14 in his defence at the Masters, tied-ninth at the US Open and tied-fifth at the British Open).
“My goal this week is obviously to contend and hopefully to win this golf tournament, and to do that would keep some great momentum going in the great scheme of things.
“If you look at my career, I would have won two Majors in the last two years. It does have a nice ring to it, I must admit, and can really propel me into next year to keep the same thing going.”
