Profile / Editor / 12 February 2007 / Leave a Comment

At the end of 2006, Adam Scott made the bold statement that he felt it was not impossible to overtake Tiger Woods as world number one in the next three years.

And, if the Australian continues at his current rate of progress in 2007, there will only be one player left for him to catch after a hugely successful two years that has seen him leapfrog up the rankings and into the top three in the world.

People always knew how good Scott could be if he made full use of his talents and he has now started to fulfil that promise in large doses under the close tutorage of Woods' former coach Butch Harmon.

What the 26-year-old seemed to lack was a level of consistency, patience and concentration but Scott now possesses all three in abundance and, as a result, his performances have improved dramatically.

Scott enjoyed his best ever year in 2006, winning the Tour Championship and managing ten top-ten finishes in 19 starts to eventually finish third on the PGA Money list behind Woods and Jim Furyk, the two players above him in the world rankings.

The Australian has only been seen once in competitive action so far in 2007, finishing runner-up to Vijay Singh at the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii.

Scott returns to the course this week at the Nissan Open and, refreshed by a six-week break, he will be keen for a good showing and can be backed at 13.5 to win and 3.3 to finish in the top five.

Much has been expected of him since he turned professional and Scott achieved his maiden victory in his first full year as a professional at the Alfred Dunhill Championships in South Africa in 2001.

Four other European Tour victories have followed since while he made his big breakthrough on the PGA Tour in 2003, winning the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Scott has won every year since in America, while his performances in the major tournaments over the last three seasons suggest that his first success in one of the big four is not far away.

The big-hitting South Australian has not missed a cut in the last ten majors while he followed his eighth place at the Open last July by coming joint third at the US PGA Championship - his best ever display in a major.

He is trading at 43 to finish top of the 2007 PGA Money List.

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