Adam Scott won’t be suckered into a driving duel with Jason Day as he strives to complete an unprecedented summer slam of Australian Open, Australian PGA, Australian Masters and World Cup of Golf triumphs.
Scott has been paired with his World Cup-winning teammate Day for the first two rounds of the Australian Open starting on Thursday, with galleries at Royal Sydney in for a treat as two of the game’s purest ball strikers go toe to toe.
Day, who took individual honours at the World Cup at Royal Melbourne last week, said the galleries would “see on Thursday” who’d win his driving showdown with Scott – but Australia’s Triple Crown hopeful insists he won’t be drawn into any shootouts off the tee.
“I don’t think we’re going to get into too many driving contests this week,” Scott said.
“I’m just going to try and get it in the hole in as few shots as possible.
“I think his youth has got me covered. I’m just trying to hang in there with the younger guys these days. Jason and Rory (McIlroy) give it a mighty bash.”
Scott nevertheless said he was looking forward to a couple of rounds with Day after they missed out on playing together at the World Cup.
“I get my wish,” said the world No.2 and Australia’s first-ever US Masters champion.
“I get to play with Jase this week. That will be good because he’s obviously in good form and it’s always nice to play with guys playing well, you can feed off them and they can make your game lift as well if you’re not quite there.
Robert Allenby in 2005 is the only player to have won Australia’s so-called Triple Crown and, while Scott is excited about the opportunity to match the feat, the 33-year-old doesn’t know where it would rank in his career achievements.
“I haven’t really thought about it that much because it hasn’t happened and I probably wouldn’t give it much thought until it does,” he said.
“It’s something that only one person has ever done in Australia. It’s not something that happens very often.
“I’d have to think it’s a pretty great milestone for an Australian golfer to win all three events down here.
“What Robert was able to do was remarkable. Greg Chalmers had a shot at it a couple of years ago.
“I’ll be giving it my best and hopefully you can ask me Sunday night and I can tell you where I reckon it ranks.”
