Scott's major streak in 'no man's land'
Final qualifying playoff loss jeopardizes Aussie's 91-major streak; Full results from U.S. Open's 'longest day'; Stray Shots: Good shows in Lancaster & Canada
Adam Scott’s last missed major was 2001 Masters (Thomas Lovelock/ANGC)
Is the streak over? Maybe not. But Adam Scott’s run of competing in 91 consecutive majors is now out of his hands and up to fate.
At Monday’s final qualifier at Springfield (Ohio) Country Club, Scott lost on the third hole of a two-man playoff to fellow Australian Cam Davis for the last spot into the upcoming U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. He will be the top alternate from that qualifying site, but the USGA has not yet determined the priority of its alternate sites. The first alternate from Springfield has gotten into the U.S. Open field each of the last two years.
Sitting precariously at No. 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking, Scott also still has a chance to get in that way if no one jumps him in the rankings after the Memorial this week, where Scott is not in the field.
“The weird thing is like, my ranking is 60,” Scott said of why he was indifferent if he was going to come to Springfield from Canada or not. “I'm right on the line with that. There’s a chance I could get in anyway. But there’s probably … I felt like it was worth coming down and having a game today and playing. I felt I had the energy to do it. And, you know, I have some pride in the fact I have some consecutive run of majors going and I’ll have a shot at keeping it going. But, you know, it’s not what I’m going to hang my hat on at the end of the day.”
Scott started the 36-hole qualifier Monday so well, shooting 6-under 64 in the morning to sit at the top of the leaderboard. He pushed himself to 9-under in the middle of the afternoon and seemed to be rolling, but the last nine holes with three bogeys and a lone birdie dropped Scott from leader to playoff victim.
It was a stinging finish after Scott chipped in for birdie on the first playoff hole only to watch Davis match him by draining a clutch 15-foot birdie putt. Both players parred the second playoff hole, but on the third Davis stuffed his approach to 4 feet to set up an easy birdie and Scott couldn’t match him after driving into a fairway bunker and leaving a long putt from off the green short.
“I’m working hard at my game this morning I sit there and feel like I’m a player who can win the U.S. Open,” Scott said. “And this afternoon, I’m not winning the U.S. Open, so you know I need to get find some consistency with it. And I think that’s kind of why I’m in no man’s land a little bit with my golf.”