Adam Scott feels he's grabbed much-needed momentum in the US PGA Tour playoffs after a brilliant late surge at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Scott rocketed from 19th overnight to finish fourth, four shots behind winner Rory McIlroy as he matched the Northern Irishman's closing six-under-par 65 at TPC Boston.
World No.6 Scott couldn't buy a birdie on the front nine but started and finished the back nine with strings of three consecutive birdies.
"I found my game a little bit on the back nine," said Scott. "I wish I had an emergency nine to go here but that's good going into next week."
The result puts Scott at fifth in the points standings after two of the four playoffs tournaments as players battle for the FedEx Cup and its $US10 million bonus payment.
"If I can put four rounds together in one of the next two weeks, I'll be really happy," said Scott.
Countryman and world No.1 Jason Day shot a 67 to tie for 15th at eight-under, keeping him second in the points race behind Patrick Reed and ahead of Dustin Johnson while McIlroy jumped to fourth.
With the field slashed to 70 players for the next event, this week's BMW Championship, fellow Australian Marc Leishman sneaked in with the 70th spot, with his final round 67 and tie for 46th lifting him from 71st despite a double bogey at the 17th hole.
Aaron Baddeley progresses in 67th position after dropping from 56th with a final round 75 and tie for 67th.
However Baddeley and Leishman will both need to make a major statement this week if they are to be among the top 30 players who advance to the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.
McIlroy ended his 16-month title drought on the US tour with his two-shot victory from overnight leader Paul Casey (73) as he defied blustery conditions to finish at 15-under 269.
He ended his round in style, hitting an exquisite bunker shot to within two feet at the par-five 18th for a tap-in four, his seventh birdie of the day, as he clinched his 12th US tour victory.
McIlroy, who had not tasted victory on the PGA Tour since the Wells Fargo Championship in May last year, had started the tournament three over after his first four holes.
American Jimmy Walker, who landed his first major title at the PGA Championship in July, carded a 70 to finish third at 12-under.
