Can Australian defend his Texas Open title?
He romps on the beach with actresses, tennis stars and models. He’s tall and lean. His swing resembles that of Tiger Woods (in his prime).
And he uses a long putter.
Thank you, Adam Scott. It’s finally cool to use a 49-inch Scotty Cameron by Titleist Kombi.
| UP NEXT |
| Texas Open |
| When » Thursday-Sunday |
| Where » TPC San Antonio |
| TV » Golf Channel/CBS |
| FIVE TO WATCH |
| Geoff Ogilvy |
| Does TPC San Antonio, designed by Greg Norman, have an Australian bias? If so, watch out for Ogilvy, one of three players in the field ranked in the top 30. He made five straight birides on the back nine to tie for the lead Sunday in the Masters. |
| Justin Leonard |
| Three of Leonard’s last eight PGA Tour victories came in the Texas Open. Little wonder. It’s his home state. But those wins (2000, 2001, 2007) came at short LaCantera. Can Leonard win at one of the longest courses (7,522 yards) on tour? |
| J.B. Holmes |
| The 28-year-old ranks No. 1 on tour in driving distance (312 yards). He made the cut in 21 of his last 22 events and was in contention last year in the Texas Open before a final-round 76. He’s due for a third PGA victory. His first two came in February (2006, 2008). |
| Jimmy Walker |
| In 120 tour starts, he’s still looking for his first victory. What better place to make his breakthrough than in his hometown? Walker’s best finish (third) came in the Texas Open last year. He has placed fourth twice this year and ranks No. 6 in scoring average (69.9). |
| Martin Laird |
| Better known on Sunday as the guy playing with Tiger Woods in the Masters, where Laird finished tied for 20th. The 28-year-old Scot is the only player in the field in the top 10 in the FedEx Cup standings (fourth) and the money list (sixth with $1.98 million). |
That’s the instrument Scott wielded last week to tame the slick, sloped greens of Augusta National, nearly becoming the first player to win a major championship with a long putter. The Australian tied for second, two strokes behind Charl Schwartzel.
Formerly a concession to old age and failing nerves, the long putter is a staple on the 50-and-over Champions Tour. Sales skyrocketed when Orville Moody used one to win the U.S. Senior Open in 1989. Vijay Singh, Rocco Mediate and Tim Clark have used long putters with some success on the PGA Tour. But Scott?
It’s like Lady Gaga in orthopedic shoes.
“It’s just more enjoyable to play golf somewhat more confident on putts from 10 feet and in,” Scott, 30, told reporters last month. “It’s nice to see a ball rolling at the hole at a good speed.”
Thursday at the Texas Open, Scott attempts to continue his solid work on the greens. When he won the event last spring, Scott was using a conventional putter. He continued to make nice paychecks, with five more finishes in the top 15. But Scott, who ranked 157th on tour in putts per round (29.9), wondered how much better it could have been.
Putting has long been Scott’s nemesis. Over the last 10 years, he’s won 14 events — seven each on the PGA and European Tours — but never ranked better than 90th in putts per round. His woes on the greens were particularly crippling in majors. Only once in 39 starts did Scott finish better than eighth in a major.
“My short putting was really ruining my good golf, and it was very frustrating to the point where I just didn’t really feel like playing,” Scott said. “I would leave two or three out there and that adds up to a lot at the end of a week.”
Scott made the switch in February. He shot an 82 in the second round of the Honda, matching the worst of his career. But the following week, Scott’s improved putting keyed a sixth-place finish in the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
Scott anchors the handle of the putter to his chest with his left hand. The right hand swings the club head in a pendulum motion.
“I really have not experienced too many problems with it thankfully, or I don’t know where I would turn,” Scott said.
