Adam Scott is no stranger to success and now as he heads into the final round of the Genesis Invitational a victory would see the very affable Aussie match a feat he first achieved some four years ago.
Scott brilliantly holed a nine-foot birdie putt at the 18th green on day three of the event in a round of 67 to move to the lead at 10-under par and just moments later joined by World No. 1 Rory McIlroy (68) and American Matt Kuchar (70).
American Russell Henley (68) and his compatriot Harold Varner 111 (69) share fourth place just a shot back at nine-under par on the Riviera Country Club course.
Scott teed-up earlier in the week in his first event of 2020 and also a first taste of formal competition since December 22nd when he superbly captured a second Australian PGA Championship.
The now 39-year old Queenslander has won 13 times on the PGA Tour and a combined 30 pro career victories around the globe and only once before in 2016 has Scott won back-to-back titles.
Scott also is a former Riviera champion and therein lies a bitter tale in the aftermath in capturing in 2005 the then Nissan Open.
Adam Scott now just one round away from capturing back-to-back titles for only a second time in his long illustrious career. (Photo)
Bad weather reduced the event that year to just two rounds and while Scott won in a play-off and was afforded the World Ranking points, the PGA continuing to refuse to recognise the win as an ‘official’ victory.
Scott produced an indifferent start to day three with a birdie and a pair of bogeys over his opening five holes but then played the seventh to the 18th holes in five-under including an important birdie at the last.
“After the slow start I got to seven feeling like it was time to get going and if I was going to be in this thing, and I managed to kick-start a come back with that birdie on seven,” he said.
“So, a good few birdies around the start of the inward nine kept me in there while that birdie on the last was a huge bonus.
“I knew the birdie on 18 would be important also to get me in the last group tomorrow alongside Rory.”
Scott finds himself grouped with McIlroy and Kuchar over the final Riviera round and while Scott cannot for a moment focus on the actions of McIlroy it’s not lost on closer observers that it was McIlroy in December 2013 who came from behind to deny Scott the Australian Open title at Royal Sydney.
In a brighter hopeful statistic should Scott win it will become a seventh Australian male victory on four different tours and on four different continents and …. you guessed it …. in seven weeks.
And who began this superb run of ‘down under’ success – Adam Scott!
