Adam Scott has to return his green jacket to the Augusta National clubhouse in six weeks but the world No.2 says he’s on track to snare a second one.
Scott is in the final week of his six-week “off-season” and ramps up his preparations for the Masters with a return to the US PGA tour next week as he aims to peak once more at Augusta National from April 10-13.
Recharging his batteries and playing less tournament golf has been the recipe for success over the last two years when Scott has been the best-performed golfer in relation to par across the last eight majors.
Scott admits it felt strange to sit out when he was coming off the brilliant form that took him within a whisker of completing the Australian Triple Crown late last year.
“You don’t really want to take some time off. You want to keep it rolling,” he said.
“You see a guy like Jimmy Walker out there who is hot and he’s taking advantage of it, and that’s what you want to do.
“But I’m also keeping the big picture in mind and my priorities are the Masters and the other three majors later this year, and I think the break was necessary, even though I was playing well.”
“I haven’t been competitive but I’ve certainly been working on all areas of the game. Hopefully I’m on track.”
The Queenslander ended Australia’s Masters curse with his playoff win over Angel Cabrera at Augusta last year and hopes that breakthrough will benefit all of his countrymen going forward.
Currently only Jason Day, who was third last year and second in 2011, and Marc Leishman (tied fourth last year), are qualified to join Scott in the Masters field.
“Hopefully every Aussie that’s there from now on will appreciate not being asked whether it will be them (to be the first) this year,” said Scott.
“Maybe that’s also crushed a couple of dreams of others that wanted to be the first but I’d like to think it will lift the shackles.
“I’ll just talk about Jason (Day) for the moment who has played in a few of them and he’s done extremely well in the few he’s played in.
“He’s obviously got to be thinking he’s going to be a Masters Champion one day, and that’s probably quite likely if he keeps playing the way he is and on the path he is.
“So hopefully the shackles are off and we’re going to have a host of Aussies up there in the champions’ locker room in the future.”