Adam Scott eyes off FedEx Cup Playoffs, 11th Presidents Cup after British Open top 10

He didn’t win but two big weeks in Scotland have put Adam Scott a step closer to a staggering achievement.

Adam Scott was the best of the Aussies in the British Open. Picture: Paul Ellis / AFP

Adam Scott didn’t leave Scotland with a trophy after a double shot of good performances but has boosted two significant rankings that could help him not only get back to the season-ending playoffs but also potentially auto qualify for a staggering 11th straight Presidents Cup team.

As Jason Day dialled in for the Paris Olympics with a tie for 13th at the British Open at Royal Troon, Scott’s weekend push resulted in a tie for 10th and renewed hope the recently turned 44-year-old’s pursuit of an elusive second major championship had a significant pulse.

Having been runner-up at the Scottish Open the previous week, Scott’s world ranking will jump to 35, putting him behind only Day among Australians and leapfrogging Min Woo Lee, who missed the cut at Troon.

But Scott is also projected to jump to 41 on the FedEx Cup standings, putting him back in the running to feature in the playoffs and the season-ending Tour Championship.

“I’ve been moving a lot of stuff around this year behind the scenes in my head, in my golf bag, and I feel like I’ve seven months in settled ... finally feel like I can settle a little bit and work a plan, even though there’s a month left of the season,” he said after his closing round even-par round of 71 left him nine shots behind winner Xander Schauffele.

Final thoughts from @AdamScott after another outstanding performance at #TheOpen. pic.twitter.com/ATWy7kArLC

— Golf Australia ⛳️ (@GolfAust) July 21, 2024

“I’ll try and make the most of that at least now, and then there’s still the Presidents Cup to look forward to, and hopefully I think I’m in a good spot to play my way on to that team now. That’s kind of the goal through the FedExCup upcoming.”

Scott said a mindset shift last year forced the changes he thinks are now starting to pay dividends.

“I made a decision, it was after Bay Hill last year. I just felt like the way I was playing just wasn’t relevant enough to contend week after week, and I think some of my performance suffered going off looking to gain in some areas,” he said..

“But it wasn’t a quick fix for me, that, but I do feel like even immediately after that, I saw where I could make the gains, but it’s taken me a while to get comfortable with it.

“I think changes, it’s harder to adapt older. I knew how to play golf one way, and standing on a tee and being told drive it in the rough is the best play is really hard for me to get my head around still.”

Always a pleasure going across the pond and competing in @theopen Incredible test of golf this week and hats off to @xanderschauffele on the win! pic.twitter.com/TSR8u7bgaz

— Jason Day (@JDayGolf) July 21, 2024

Day, who was runner-up at the 2023 Open, made a final hole birdie for a solid finish and will head back to the US to ramp up his Olympic preparations, teaming up with Lee in Paris.

“To be honest, I feel like the game is kind of moving in the right direction,” he said.

“There’s a lot of good positive things moving out of this week going into Paris.”

Originally published as Adam Scott eyes off FedEx Cup Playoffs, 11th Presidents Cup after British Open top 10