Adam Scott has by no means performed on a profitable group within the Presidents Cup, a story as woeful because the Internationals shedding streak in opposition to the Individuals.
He has performed in 49 matches and partnered with 16 gamers. He was a part of the tie in South Africa when he made his debut in 2003, and 9 consecutive losses adopted. The 44-year-old Australian realizes he will not get many extra possibilities.
And but his optimism is as excessive as ever.
“We’re decided to go on the market this yr and alter the script of this occasion,” Scott stated. “Definitely, I wish to enhance my document on this occasion and I am very decided. I do not know what number of extra alternatives I am going to get, if any. So this can be a large week for me.
“However I’ve numerous perception on this group,” he stated. “I am unable to keep in mind feeling so comfy coming right into a Presidents Cup.”
That is been the vibe at Royal Montreal over three days of apply because the Internationals prepare for the opening session of fourballs Thursday in opposition to a U.S. group that on paper appears to be as highly effective as ever. The Individuals are led by Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, the highest two gamers on this planet.
U.S. captain Jim Furyk threw out a number of wrinkles for the opening pairings.
He break up up Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay for under the second time since they started taking part in these group cups in 2019. Schauffele is within the opening match with Tony Finau in opposition to Jason Day and Byeong Hun An, whereas Cantlay is the fifth and ultimate match with Sam Burns in opposition to Hideki Matsuyama and Corey Conners, certainly one of three Canadians on house soil.
Scott is within the second recreation out with Min Woo Lee, certainly one of his many proteges, in opposition to Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala.
Worldwide captain Mike Weir has been preaching the current to his group. In some respects, they take into account the beginning of those matches to be 2019, when Ernie Els spearheaded a change in brand to present a group from everywhere in the world a brand new identification.
That they had an excellent probability in Australia in 2019. That they had an excellent rally at Quail Hole in 2022 after getting in a giant gap early with a group decimated by defections to LIV Golf.
“We have got numerous younger guys on the group, and so they’re not remembering previous defeats or something like that,” Weir stated.
Scott wouldn’t be a kind of younger guys, though he now could be embracing the youth motion. He’s certainly one of solely three gamers — Matsuyama (5) and Day (4) are the others — who’ve performed greater than twice within the Presidents Cup.
Nothing compares with 10 tries with out profitable.
“That is an extended stretch,” Finau stated. “That is robust luck on the finish of the day. Adam is an unimaginable man. As a competitor, I do not really feel unhealthy for him. I am certain he has some Presidents Cups the place he had a profitable document and the group loses. You possibly can’t actually solely blame it on Adam. These are group occasions.
“However on the finish of the day I am on the U.S. aspect and for this week we do not need any of these guys to win.”
That is been the message for the Individuals, who don’t desire their very own streak to finish. They personal a 12-1-1 document because the Presidents Cup started in 1994. However they’re coming off one other highway loss to Europe within the Ryder Cup, and the chance being and not using a skilled cup for the primary time since 1998 if they do not win at Montreal.
“You must earn it,” Finau stated. “It would not matter how good our document is within the Presidents Cup. Sooner or later they will begin profitable some Presidents Cups. It may occur. We’re not going to play this many and … I clearly need the Individuals to win the subsequent 50. It isn’t going to occur.
“They’ll begin [winning]. We do not need that group to be in opposition to us.”
The opening fourballs session is adopted by 5 foursomes matches on Friday, a double session (4 matches every) on Saturday, adopted by the Sunday singles.
Scott is a robust voice given his expertise, regardless that it is principally a shedding expertise. He’s extra decided that ever to ship his finest efficiency. He’s working out of time.
“I began by having very lofty targets as a child. My desires had been large, and I’ve achieved a few of these however I have never achieved all of them, together with profitable this occasion,” Scott stated. “It is the dearth of conducting them that retains me motivated at this level.”
What would a victory imply? Scott cannot even think about.
“I feel if I answered now,” he stated, “I might most likely underestimate the affect it might have if we had been to get a win.”
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