There was no way Adam Scott could have been right there on Sunday at the PGA Championship.
No way.
He’s had one top 10 this season, a miserable season, thanks to his putting, or lack thereof.
Scott came into the 100th PGA Championship ranked somewhere past No. 200 in the overall PGA Tour putting stats.
Guys who don’t putt well don’t last long these days.
Scott has always been a prime ball-striker and finally, his putting turned the corner this week.
On Sunday, playing in the last pairing with eventual winner Brooks Koepka, Scott was right in it until the 72nd hole.
“I had high hopes for today,” Scott said matter-of-factly. “I was feeling really good out there. It was good fun to be in it. I didn’t play the last two holes very well.”
Up until those last two holes, Scott had worked himself into contention.
The 2013 Masters champ was only one-under at the turn but birdies at 10, 12 and 13 got him to 14-under par.
When Koepka birdied the 15th and 16th to get to 16-under, Scott needed birdies but his driver got a case of the hooks down the stretch and he couldn’t close the gap.
At the 18th, his tee shot sailed 50 yards right and he’d end up with bogey, handing solo second to Tiger Woods. Woods collected $1,188,000 for that finish while Scott’s 65 and 13-under par total earned him a third place, $748,000 check. Not bad for a guy who has putted miserably all season.
