Scott is 35, which not so long ago was around the age many golfers peaked, but the recent emergence of so many outstanding young players makes the Australian wonder whether his time has almost passed.
Well not quite, but the 2013 Masters champion feels an urgency to make another major strike before too long.
“I don’t want it to be the one (and only) major I won,” Scott told reporters on Tuesday as he wistfully recalled his playoff victory over Angel Cabrera when he became the first player from his homeland to win the green jacket after growing up watching Greg Norman come so agonisingly close so many times.
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“It’s hard for me to think that anything I achieve will be bigger than that moment in my career, but that doesn’t mean I’m not striving to win other Masters tournaments.
“I feel I’ve got the game to win my second major this week and I’m driven towards that because I want to win a handful of majors," added Scott.”
The world number seven is among the favourites this week, after two straight victories in Florida recently, at the Honda Classic and WGC-Cadillac Championship.
He will use a short putter at Augusta for the first time since 2010, after working with a broomstick for the past five years. But with an “anchoring” ban in effect since January 1, Scott has returned to a short stick.
It certainly worked well in Florida, but Augusta’s lightning-fast and undulating greens will expose any lingering weaknesses, should they be there.
“Hopefully I’ll be a more consistent putter with this short putter than ever before,” he said. “That’s the goal.”
As for his age, Scott thinks there is no reason he cannot be competitive until well into his 40s.
“There are only a few players who have been very dominant over 40, and it’s probably going to be harder too, as the young 20-somethings are better and better.
“That’s probably a trend that’s going to continue to happen. My window might not be closing, but it’s not wide open.
“I don’t really want to think about getting there too quick.”
(Editing by Steve Keating.)
