Adam Scott wants to play in another Presidents Cup and confirms to return to Australia
Age is no barrier for Adam Scott, he’s just recorded a 97th consecutive majors appearance, has confirmed his return to Australia and now has revealed his plan for the Presidents Cup.
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The ageless Adam Scott has declared he wants to play in another Presidents Cup in Melbourne – by which time he will be 48 – after confirming he will return to Australia to take on Rory McIlroy during the summer of golf.
Scott, whose remarkable longevity saw him this month record a 97th consecutive majors appearance, has opened up on his ambition to stay at the peak of his powers to lead the International charge against the United States at Kingston Heath in 2028.
At a time when most professional golfers are counting down the days until they’re eligible for the lucrative Champions Tour in the United States, Australia’s only Masters hero acknowledged the biennial event is a major priority in the twilight of his career.
Tiger Woods led the United States to a stirring Presidents Cup success at Royal Melbourne in 2019 – the venue for this year’s Australian Open – and Scott has desperately tried to inspire the Internationals to turn the tide in what has been a one-sided concept.
The International team has only won it once since its inception in 1994.
Asked whether he wanted to extend his career to Kingston Heath, Scott said: “We’re crystal balling it a little bit here and we’ve got one to get past first (at Medinah next year), but for sure, there’s no doubt.
“I’ve put a lot of heart and soul into the Presidents Cup in my career and for it to be going down to Melbourne again (is fantastic). When I think back to ’19 at the Presidents Cup, it’s on the shortlist of incredible moments in my career, even though it wasn’t a win.
“What I got to experience on the golf course with hometown support … I’d love the opportunity to do that again and hopefully we’re going down there trying to defend the Presidents Cup.”
Scott’s compatriot Geoff Ogilvy will captain the International side in the United States next year, and Scott said the “best guy for the job” should do it at Kingston Heath, rather than one preordained years in advance.
“If it’s me, it’s me,” the former world No.1 said. “But if I’m still able to play on the team, I’d love to play on the team.”
His more immediate priority is to make the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup play-offs with a strong finish in North Carolina this week before turning his attention to a showdown with McIlroy on the Melbourne sandbelt in December.
McIlroy will bring the green jacket to Australia after completing an emotional career grand slam at Augusta National in April, with demand for tickets and corporate hospitality at unprecedented levels since the stunning announcement.
McIlroy will play the Australian Open for the next two years under a multimillion-dollar deal brokered by Golf Australia and the Victorian government.
Scott skipped last year’s Australian summer after a gruelling season abroad, but also held reservations about the dual gender format for the national championship where men and women played alongside each other in separate tournaments.
Golf Australia has scrapped that model and the women’s event will be held as a stand-alone tournament in Adelaide next year.
Scott will play the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland and then head to Melbourne for a Stonehaven Cup assault.
“The fact we’re playing the Aussie Open at Royal Melbourne is fantastic,” Scott said. “I think it’s a bit of a breath of fresh air.
“Certainly, I’m not here sitting whinging about anything but I haven’t played the Aussie Open at Royal Melbourne and it hasn’t been (held) there since 1991. I’m sure there are a few others who would say the same. Hopefully that brings a lot of energy and I’m certainly excited about it.
“Ideally, it’d be nice to have a rota ultimately, and circling back to the sandbelt somewhat frequently. (That) would be really good.
“Of course, it would be great to play the sandbelt all the time, but the Australian Open deserves to go to other great courses around the country and showcase golf in Perth or Sydney or Adelaide as well.
“There’s no doubt the golf course matters if you’re interested in having Rory McIlroy and some of his mates come down to play. That’s just a fact. We need to get the standard of course up to that, and it’s hard to compete against the sandbelt.
“But we have to strike a balance. We have two major championships at the end of our schedule and we need to figure out how they get the best out of them.”
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