Adam Scott has failed to play his way into the world No.1 spot at the Players Championship, but could get there in a week while sitting on his couch in the Bahamas.
Scott ended his play at TPC Sawgrass with a one-over 73 to be two-under for the week in a tie for 38th as bad weather stopped play, well short of the necessary top 16 finish needed to replace the injured Tiger Woods at the top.
With Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar failing to also meet their minimum requirements to pass Woods, Scott will stay No.2 but is projected to possibly pull ahead of Woods once the American loses points next week.
The rankings work on a two-year rolling basis and with Stenson and Watson missing next week’s events in Texas and Spain only Kuchar would pose a threat to Scott’s possible ascension.
Beginning his round in a tie for 32nd Scott saw a poor drive into a bunker set up the opening hole bogey, immediately dropping the Queenslander into a tie for 40th.
Missed birdie opportunities at the fourth and seventh holes were part of a run of eight pars before the 33-year-old overshot the 10th green and couldn’t get up and down.
Another bogey at the 12th quashed any chance of a push to number one although the 33-year-old birdied 16 and 17 to gain a few more ranking points.
The newlywed claimed the talk of number one was not a factor in his poor play despite being unable to close the deal with good chances in his last four tournaments.
“Overall this week I just didn’t play good enough,” Scott said.
“I was lucky to even make the weekend. Today I played from the rough and it’s impossible to play this course out of position so I battled all day.
“I wasn’t pressing but I am lacking a little confidence with the swing at the moment.
“I think No.1 is a nice feather in the cap and if I was never world No.1 when I was this close I’d be disappointed but I’d also much rather win the US Open and not be number one at all this year.
“That’s what it comes down to. There weren’t rankings back in the day and guys won a lot of majors and that’s how they’re remembered.”
Scott has hinted he might add another tournament to his schedule, the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial later this month, as he searches to find his best game for June’s US Open.
“I’ll have to decide somewhere over the next few days and I’m thinking about Colonial,” he said.
“So I’ll unwind a little and then see where I feel my game’s at and then make a decision at the end of the week.”