Adam Scott: Open collapse made Masters win more meaningful

Adam Scott’s name will always be synonymous with The Masters. 

The first Australian winner of a Green Jacket enjoyed his defining moment at a rain-sodden Augusta National back in 2013.

Now, though his eyes are firmly set on becoming a multiple major champion.

bunkered.co.uk caught up with the Rolex Testimonee to recall his magical moments at Augusta National…

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You became Australia’s first winner of the Masters when you beat Angel Cabrera in a play-off in 2013. Did this moment exceed all expectations and dreams you had as a golfer growing up?

It definitely did. Everyone has their own story as to how they get to that point where they achieve their dreams and so it is very meaningful for everybody. I could not have asked for a better way of getting there. What made it so meaningful for me was that I had suffered a defeat the previous summer at The Open in 2012 and there was something in me that just was not going to give in until I won a major championship, and it happened to be at the Masters.

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When you think about the Masters, you think about springtime, flowers in bloom, blue skies and birds chirping, but it was certainly not the case that year. It was raining and there was a very low ceiling of clouds in the sky. The golf fans stayed to watch great golf, and everything fell into place on that second play-off hole. When you watch replays of it, you can see how I overcome with emotion I was because it is a truly surreal feeling when a putt catches the left side of the hole and goes in as it could have just as easily slipped by. Everything fell into place at that moment.

The Masters has produced some of the most iconic moments within sports history. What are your three most iconic Masters moments?

I think Jack Nicklaus winning in 1986 is a big one. I am taking inspiration from Nicklaus winning at 46 years old at this point! Tiger Woods winning his first Masters title in 1997 was incredible. I do not know if it changed the direction of the sport but that win certainly accelerated the direction of the sport. It was a huge, huge moment.

There are so many amazing moments. Tiger’s chip on the 16th hole in 2005 was one of the greatest shots ever. I’ll give myself one – I think I have the greatest winner’s photo! The one with my arms raised in the rain with the silhouette from behind.

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How do you manage the pressure and expectations while challenging for a title at such a prestigious event like the Masters?

It is mixed feelings. The first thought that I had when going into the play-off in 2013 was “at least it’s only one other guy now”. When I had started the week, there were about 90 other competitors so it being narrowed down to only one other player was good. I remember arriving back down at the 18th tee for the first play-off hole and the nerves really started building. All of a sudden, it felt like I was teeing off again and the nerves were certainly there but once we got going, I was back into the flow that I had that afternoon. It was lucky that the nerves settled down quickly and I got back into that flow because I then hit a few good shots in a row. Very quickly, it was then down to that final putt on the second play-off hole because we were not going to play another hole that night if I tied the hole due to it being too dark, which would have been the hardest night to sleep ever!

In 2023, it was the 10th anniversary of your maiden victory at Augusta National and the following year, you reached the pinnacle of the Official World Golf Rankings. What have been the highlights of your career since then?

I have won a few other good tournaments since then. I think 2016 was probably the year in which I played my best golf. Although I did not win a major championship that year, I consistently played the highest level of golf in my career. Winning The Genesis Invitational in Los Angeles in 2020 was a memorable one for me. It’s my favourite course on tour that we play, and Tiger Woods presented the trophy to me. I spent most of my career trying to compete with Tiger and I say “trying” because it was never easy to actually beat him. Now looking back on things, I feel like a moment like that where a legend of the sport who is associated with the tournament and ends up presenting you with the trophy is one of those nice, special moments. That is certainly a highlight.

Adam Scott was speaking to bunkered.co.uk as a Rolex Testimonee after beginning his association with the iconic way brand back in 2001.

Can you share a particular moment or experience that highlighted the significance of your partnership with Rolex during your career so far?

I think there are many, but the first one that springs to mind is when I visited the Rolex headquarters in Geneva in 2007. It really took my
appreciation for what level of quality Rolex stood for to another level. I toured the assembly facility, along with a couple of the other facilities that day. I had done tours of other factories in the past of much bigger products than wrist watches, and I was blown away by the quality and levels that each Rolex timepiece goes through – certainly at final assembly but throughout the whole process. I think that was a big eye-opener for me and I’ve certainly pushed everybody who has become a Rolex Testimonee after me to go and have that same experience.