Top-ranked Australian Adam Scott admits after capturing a 31st professional title his career is in a ‘good spot’.

Scott secured a back-to-back success for a second time in producing a superb and mature display in fighting-back from near disaster early in his final Riviera final round to win by an impressive two shots.

In the process, Scott silenced the challenge of World No. 1 and overwhelming ‘social media’ favourite Rory McIlroy, and be handed the tournnament trophy also for a second time in his career.

The winner’s walk with host @TigerWoods.

Life is good for champion @AdamScott.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/PqdHoeFXk9

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 17, 2020

Much has been written on the circumstances of Scott’s 2005 success at Riviera and it came as little surprise the events of 15-years ago were quickly brought-up by the PGA Tour’s own media official at the start of Scott’s victory conference.

MARK WILLIAMS: Welcome our 2020 Genesis Invitational champion. Adam, it must be a pretty good feeling having this one as official. Obviously the one in ’05 when you won was not official. Must feel pretty good, just a little bit of redemption. Just some comments.

ADAM SCOTT: It feels really good. I mean, that’s fun to poke fun at the thing in ’05, but it is 15 years ago, so I really moved on from that by now. It’s incredibly satisfying to win a tournament of this stature on a golf course of this stature. It
was a wonderful week, it was incredibly enjoyable just being here with the weather like this, the course in perfect condition and a great field. Even better to come out on top and kind of have your game really tested today. It was not easy and that was most enjoyable to kind of see that my game is holding up to that.

A great response from the new World No. 7 and the 14-time PGA Tour winner.

Scott has now joined Bruce Crampton as the third-winningest Australian on the PGA Tour and four wins shy of Jim Ferrier who captured 18 Tour titles while Greg Norman remains the leading Australian-born winner on the world’s biggest stage with 20 Tour victories over his 14-year PGA Tour career.

Scott, who turned professional in 2000, has now tasted success in three different decades and an effort achieved by fellow Australian greats as the late Peter Thomson along with Greg Norman.

“My career is in a good spot, I guess. You know, even before winning this week, I feel like physically and somewhat mentally I’m okay after 20 years out here,” he said.

“You know, I really do believe if I can maintain motivation and focus, the next five years can be my best years on tour.
But it’s easy to say those things, it’s very hard to do. Maintaining that focus and that drive for long periods of time isn’t easy, but I think I need that to achieve everything I — to leave the game satisfied at some point. But they’re pretty lofty goals, so this is a good start.

“It’s one week out of the next five years.”

And Scott can take enormous pride as it was second Australian PGA victory just three days prior to last Christmas that has led to a surge of ‘Down Under’ success around the golfing globe.

In fact, Australian-born players have won seven events in the past seven weeks, on four different Tour’s and on three different continents and Scott is singling out last Decembers’ near-victory in the Presidents Cup as a springboard to the success now being enjoyed by Australian male golfers.

“I think it’s something that came about from that Presidents Cup. And it’s not surprising, I’ve seen it before with some guys off the back of an incredible Presidents Cup experience where there’s pressure out on the golf course and
guys really learning and elevating their games and then putting that into practice the next time they’re in a pressure situation,” said Scott.

“I know I did that back in 2003, we played in December in South Africa and I remember being — leading The Players going into Sunday but using that pressure situation playing with Ernie in South Africa as a way to know that I can handle it, and I think some of us might have done that off the back of this Presidents Cup.

“And it’s certainly motivation for me seeing Cam (Smith) and Marc (Leischman) win to come out and make sure I’m not the one lagging behind, so over to Jason (laughs.)”