Scott among fancied US PGA Championship outsiders
Published:Adam Scott could finally fulfil his undoubted potential and win a first major should he reap the rewards at the US PGA Championship of a decision to change to a cross-handed putting grip.
The Australian, who is currently dating Serbian tennis ace Ana Ivanovic, has found his performances on the green to be his biggest weakness throughout much of his career and this has been touted as a main reason for his limited success.
However, after finishing in a share of 27th at the British Open in June, Scott took the advice of putting guru Dave Stockton Jnr and altered his grip.
Signs of progress came out of the recent WGC Bridgestone Invitational and he has seen his odds for the major at Whistling Straits fall to 50/1 from 66/1.
According to AAP, Scott said: “I’m happy to be back here and have some positive thoughts going into a major. It’s a good driver’s course, so that’s good for me.
“I’m pleased with the way I’m playing, but my putting needs to come up a notch to really give myself a chance to be in it.”
Meanwhile, he has not forgotten what it takes to win an event having beaten Fredrik Jacobson by a single shot to land the Valero Texas Open in May and ranks 13th in terms of finding the greens in regulation on the PGA Tour this season.
Scott can also count on good memories of the Whistling Straits course as he finished tied for ninth on the last occasion it hosted a major at the 2004 US PGA Championship.
British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen is another to have come in for support and is also 50/1, despite never having played at Whistling Straits before, while Darren Clarke has moved from 200/1 into 150/1.
Scott is the 9/4 favourite to finish the US PGA Championship as the top Australian, although Geoff Ogilvy and Stuart Appleby are others that could feature.
