PGA Tour: Tour Golfer Adam Scott Shows Us How to Be a Professional Golfer and Make a Big Success of it

When Adam Scott’s name is brought up in conversation between golfers the questions are usually about the lack of a major victory and has he under achieved up to this point in his career?

I’m going to examine his career from the time he was a junior right up to the HSBC World Golf Championship event played last week in Shanghai China.



Adam first played representative golf for his home state Queensland at the age of fourteen. He made his debut at the Australian Inter-State Series held at the Riverside Golf Course in Launceston Tasmania in 1996. A year later and he was the Australian Junior Champion in Alice Springs, a feat he repeated the following year to go back to back.

He also won the New Zealand Junior title the same year to be considered the hottest young amateur golfer from down under which won him Australian senior selection in 1998.

At this point he was getting invitations from colleges in the USA and the one from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (UNLV) was accepted. It was here that a relationship with Tiger’s coach Butch Harmon was forged. It was not long after that Adam’s swing was being compared to Tiger’s and how much their swings looked alike.

I can tell you that Adam didn’t go to the US and learn how to swing it like Tiger! Like all young golfers the leading player of that era is the model that is copied all around the world. When I saw Adam in Tasmania in 1996 he had the shape
of the original swing that Tiger brought onto the PGA Tour.

---

He only lasted one year in the College system and in 2000 decided to turn professional.

He played on the European Tour and clinched his playing rights for 2001 only after eight tournaments. 

Adam only took up full membership of the PGA Tour in 2004 after winning the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2003.


It didn't take him long to establish himself when in March 2004 he won the Players Championship considered by many as the 5th Major. 

Up to date he has won eight times on the PGA tour and has the fourth most wins by an Australian on tour behind Greg Norman (20 wins), Steve Elkington (10) and Stuart Appleby (10). 

He is credited with an unofficial win when he won the rain affected Nissan Open at the Riviera Golf Club in 2005 where only 36 holes were played.

Total wins are six on the European Tour and he has three other International wins to go with his Australian Open victory in 2009. He is currently ranked 6th in the World Golf Ranking and has not won since the Bridgestone Invitational over a year ago.

---

We all saw his meltdown at the British Open this year over the last four holes when it seemed all he had to do was finish and the Claret Jug was his. 

So has he under achieved up to this point? Looking at his statistics not one area stands out and gets your attention! 

Actually there are two, in 2012 he has picked up ten meters in driving distance (304.6 yards) compared to 2009 (294.9 yards). 

His scoring average for 2012 (69.53) and 2011 (69.87) are very impressive and the reason why his world 
ranking is currently 6th.

Adam's All Round Ranking which takes into account all the main stats has been very good and where he has been ranked 22nd (2012), 2nd(2011) and 13th (2010) but it’s his putting that holds him back from winning more.

---

The table above shows the differences over the last few years compared to 2009 when Adam had his worst year. The numbers to take note of have been highlighted. 

You will notice that his putting percentages improved remarkably in 2011 and 2012 and the main reason is at the end of 2010 he started practicing with the long putter and had it in the bag at the start of 2011. 

Thanks for your support of our blog and please share it with your friends.

David Milne and Lawrie Montague - Pro Tour Golf College
Your Success On Tour is Our Business