Adam Scott says his near-miss at the Australian Masters has primed him for his showdown with world No.1 Rory McIlroy at this week’s Australian Open and the course suits him better.

A potential duel between the world’s top two golfers at The Australian in Sydney looms as the highlight of the golf summer after McIlroy pipped Scott on the final hole to win the Open title last year.

Scott went within a lipped-out 60-foot birdie putt on the last hole of a play-off with winner Nick Cullen on Sunday as he sought a record-breaking third consecutive Masters title.

The 2013 US Masters champion lamented his opening round of 73 when he struggled in some brutal wind gusts on the Melbourne sand-belt course.

But he was sure the Masters had set him up to play closer to his best at the Open.

“I felt my game got better every day this week which is a positive sign for me and certainly looking ahead for the next few weeks,” said Scott, after shooting as final round four-under-par 68 to be tied second, one shot behind Cullen at Metropolitan GC.

“Today was definitely the best I’ve swung the club, putted and chipped, I did everything well and hopefully that will continue.”

Scott felt his game was better suited to the Open’s venue, The Australian, although he’d only played there once as a amateur plus a few social rounds.

“I just remember it as a long, tough, demanding golf course and that suits me.

“If it’s that way and I get to hit the driver a bit more than it’s certainly to my advantage.”

He was positive his monster final hole putt on Sunday was going in before it curled around the lip and stayed out.

“It was looking really good – I can’t believe it didn’t go in.

“I felt like I hadn’t got a putt from that range to a hole all week but I got a great read on it.”