Adam Scott said he’s reminded on an almost daily basis that he’s one of the old guys on the PGA Tour these days.
But playing this week at the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club has made the 44-year-old Australian a bit nostalgic. Twenty-four years ago, Scott was a newly minted pro and accepted a sponsor’s invite to the International. He had played in the British Open a few weeks earlier but essentially it marked his first start in the U.S. on the Tour. Another reminder that Scott’s been in this racket for an awfully long time: he and Jason Day are the only two players in the 50-man field this week who previously competed here. Scott has won the Masters, reached world No. 1 and captured 14 Tour titles, but it’s been four years since his last victory at the 2020 Genesis Invitational.
“It’s hard to keep pace with what the younger guys are doing, from hitting the ball at a speed that’s competitive to practicing enough to having the motivation and the drive to do it,” he said. “I think it’s harder for the older guys.”
Not on Friday for Scott. Despite a less-than-satisfying range session, Scott took advantage of softer conditions after a late afternoon rainstorm on Thursday and shot a bogey-free 9-under 63, setting a course record.
“I don’t think any players in this field thought 9 under was possible,” NBC’s Brad Faxon said.
Scott, however, envisioned low numbers when he played his practice rounds and was surprised that scoring wasn’t better in the opening round. He went out and made 107 feet of putts on Thursday, which ranked third in Strokes Gained: putting, and poured in 126 feet on Friday, which ranked first in SGP.
“I made everything,” said Scott.
PGA Tour Radio’s Mark McCumber agreed: “He looks like he can brush them in from everywhere.”
Scott, who ranks 37th in SGP this season has been able to depend on his putting. His iron play? Not so much.
“I putt well all the time. I don’t ever putt bad, actually. It’s really my iron play has been atrocious for two years,” he said.
He’s experimented with equipment this year, using a set of cavity-back irons last week in Memphis and going back to a set of blades this week.
“I’ve basically used a blade my whole life, but I kind of felt like watching this new generation, a lot of them play cavities, and it’s probably the future. It seems more forgiving. I think it is more forgiving. But it’s just not, like, what I’m used to. I thought it…
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