Adam Scott says Australian golf is in need of a new hero, someone who can win several major championships, to reinvigorate the game back home.

He’s hoping a drought-breaking Masters victory at Augusta National on Sunday can kick-start the process.

In the midst of the country’s slowest start on the US PGA Tour since 2003 and having won just one major in the last 17 years, Australian golf is at a crossroads.

Since Greg Norman ruled the world rankings and hogged headlines, Australia’s dominance has waned and Scott is concerned that junior participation has taken a hit.

At the top level, Australia has provided at least one winner on the US tour by April’s Masters in each of the last eight seasons, but not in 2012.

It’s certainly not all doom and gloom though with Scott joined by Jason Day in the world top 15 and the likes of John Senden, Geoff Ogilvy and Aaron Baddeley among players likely to contend on any given week.

But as Europe, America and Asia appear to be going from strength to strength Australia badly needs a new standard bearer.

Recent statistics out of South Korea show 2000 golfers under the age of 20 are below scratch players, 800 of them are women.

According to Steve Bann, the coach who mentored Robert Allenby and Stuart Appleby and also guides K.J. Choi, that ratio in Australia is about 18-1 in favour of boys and skilled golfers are nowhere near the numbers coming out of Asia.

“For a long time we had the dominant golfer in the world in Greg Norman,” Scott says. “He was the charismatic guy that carried the game of golf not just for Australia but for the world and that was huge for Aussie kids.

“We had an icon and a role model to look up to and we haven’t had that since him really.

“We have had a lot of great players who have gone on to win events and have good careers but no standouts.”

Winning one major – even the elusive Masters – would not be enough to turn things around for any length of time.

“Someone winning the Masters would be a huge boost for a year,” says Scott.

“But to really build the game back up that person has to keep doing it and become like an Ernie Els who wins three or more majors and gains the status of being a legend of the sport.

“That’s what will help the game at a junior level and beyond back at home and give it more longevity.

“Greg kept going for 10-15-20 years. We just don’t have an icon like that right now. I’d like to be that successful.”

While no Australian has won the Masters in its 75 stagings to date, there is a fresh air of anticipation floating among the azaleas after Scott and Day tied second last year while Ogilvy tied fourth.

“It’s one of those sporting hurdles that no Australian has gotten over, and it may be one of the last ones for the sports that we play in our country, after Cadel Evans winning Tour de France last year,” Scott said.

“Last year was a great experience for me here, and I’m excited to be back.

“I’ve been waiting 12 months for another opportunity of getting in there on Sunday and I feel ready.

“To be the first would be incredible for an Australian, because not only would you be the Masters champion, but in Australia, there would be that little asterisk next to your name of being the first, finally.”

Day, at just 24 years of age, could be the future legend Scott talks of. With two runner-up finishes in majors last year he has proven talent isn’t an issue.

Now he just needs to take it to another level.

“This is the Holy Grail to win this tournament,” Day says.

“I would love to win. Winning any major would be great but winning the Masters, and being the first from Australia would be an unbelievable career right there.

“I want to win a lot of tournaments in my life but if I did that I’d be very happy with my career let’s put it that way.”