Adam Scott has never been the type to seek attention but it has come to him, nonetheless.
With a golf swing that AI could not make better, a résumé stuffed with 14 PGA Tour wins including the 2013 Masters and movie-star good looks, Scott has an inherent magnetism though his most charming characteristic may be his endearing disposition.
In a world seemingly fueled by self-promotion and look-at-me social-media posts, Scott is more naturally understated, his competitive fire camouflaged by his grace and patience.
Scott is resolute enough to be a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, charting the organization’s future, while also playing a global schedule from his home base in Switzerland.
So when the subject was recently raised of Scott making his 100th consecutive major championship start at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills this week, he took a thoughtful pause before acknowledging its meaning.
Only Jack Nicklaus, who played 146 consecutive majors, owns a more impressive streak of starts.
“It’s not something you set out to do, obviously. I take a lot of pride in my game and everything I put into it. The fact that Jack’s the only other one to pass 100 and he’s way up there, I told him he didn’t have to worry about [me passing him]. He didn’t look worried, either,” Scott said with a smile.
“I take a lot of pride in trying to maintain my game at that high level. To do that for this long, I’m proud of that achievement. I would love for my record to be a little better than it is. There’s still a little time. It’s possible.”
The last time a major championship was played without Adam Scott was the 2001 U.S. Open at Southern Hills, back when Retief Goosen beat Mark Brooks in a Monday playoff.
“It’s crazy,” said Jordan Spieth, who is a little more than halfway to Scott’s mark with 52 consecutive starts, the second-longest active streak.
“Absolutely incredible,” said Rory McIlroy, who will be making his 43rd consecutive major start this week, his run having been interrupted when he missed the 2015 Open Championship due to a severely sprained ankle.
“I think to just play 100 majors throughout your career is an amazing achievement, but to play 100 in a row is – I just think about the level that you need to be at and no injuries … there’s a lot of things that need to sort of fall in line. No births of children that fall on those weeks, all that sort of stuff.”
“First thing [Scott] says is, ‘A hundred, it feels like an eternity, and you got 46 more,’” Nicklaus said. “He says, ‘I don’t think I’ll make that.’ ”
Scott seems to glide from shot to shot, place to place, moment to moment. That doesn’t diminish the months and years of work Scott has invested in his career – he has 33 worldwide professional victories. It enhances how the 45-year-old has built a career admired for both achievements and longevity.
His rain-spattered victory at Augusta in 2013 is, to this point, the crowning achievement in Scott’s career. He let the 2012 Open Championship slip his grasp when he bogeyed the last four holes to hand the Claret Jug to Ernie Els, and he has top-four finishes in both the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship.
At the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, Scott and Nicklaus snapped a photo together and had a chat about their major-championship runs.
“First thing [Scott] says is, ‘A hundred, it feels like an eternity, and you got 46 more,’” Nicklaus said. “He says, ‘I don’t think I’ll make that.’
“Well, anyway, it doesn't make any difference. I think to be prepared and be able to play and stay healthy so you can play is quite an achievement.”
Everyone knows the story of Tiger Woods winning the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines with two stress fractures in his left tibia. What they didn’t know was that Scott, who was grouped with Woods and Phil Mickelson in the first two rounds, had a broken bone in his right hand after slamming it in a door.
“I could have milked that so much more,” Scott said, grinning. “It was fine. It was just tender. No more damage could be done.”
Adam Scott seems to glide from shot to shot, place to place, moment to moment.
RICHARD HEATHCOTE, GETTY IMAGES
A year ago, Scott was in position to add a U.S. Open trophy to his collection, only to see it washed away in the rain over the closing holes at Oakmont.
Scott started the final round one stroke behind leader Sam Burns and tied with eventual champion J.J. Spaun. Playing together in the final pairing, Scott and Burns shared the lead through five holes on Sunday, and Scott was just one behind as he started the back nine in the increasingly difficult conditions.
Eventually, the USGA would pause play for 97 minutes but by that point, Scott felt the course conditions had already become borderline unplayable.
“It sounds bad for me to complain about the situation because … I hit a shot on 11, I just don’t know how that can happen other than aqua-planing, there’s just so much water,” Scott said.
“It really was soaked. In the moment, I’m not going to be the guy complaining but, looking back on it, I wish I was … Not complain but spoken up after my shot on 11. Actually, the shot on 10 I hit beautifully but it came out like water heavy and really short. Then I get a strange one on 11. I felt like, am I the only one thinking this is peculiar?
“I was trying to think in my head, is no one else dealing with this? There’s a ton of other groups on the course. Is everyone OK? I was thinking someone might speak up but I wish it was me looking back on it.”
After the rain delay, Burns asked for relief from casual water on the 15th hole but was denied, leading to a critical mistake that doomed his chances.
“Sam did [ask about the conditions] and it didn’t get him far actually,” Scott said.
In retrospect, Scott said he and Burns should have discussed the conditions together and with the USGA. Instead, they kept going.
Asked if he ever had a conversation with the USGA about the situation, Scott offered a gentlemanly description of what happened.
“I had a message, not a conversation. I didn’t reply,” Scott said.
“I think they were just checking my temperature but I wasn’t steaming.”
As for how he expects Shinnecock Hills to play this week, Scott understands the changing weather plays an outsized role in what transpires. Given the history at Shinnecock, it’s important the USGA get this one right.
Returning to Shinnecock Hills, where Scott has missed the cut in two U.S. Open starts, brings the USGA question into focus again. At both the 2004 and 2018 U.S. Opens there, course conditions bordered on the extreme at times, threatening to overshadow the competition.
It is Scott’s favorite course on the east coast and he shot 63 from the championship tees in a casual round there in 2013, a number matched by Tommy Fleetwood in the final round of the 2018 U.S. Open.
“[Mine] doesn’t count,” Scott said. “That wasn’t an important round.”
“You’d love to see good weather, a bit of wind and each day just gets a little bit tougher.
“I have high expectations they’re going to have a great week,” Scott said, a wry smile on his face.
“I’m trying not to be a cynical old pro.”
Top: Adam Scott will soon have marched the fairways in 100 consecutive major championships.
Dylan Buell, Getty Images
