Australian PGA Championship: Adam Scott, Cameron Smith chase home win
Wednesday 18 December 2019 11:46, UK
Adam Scott and Cameron Smith will look to bounce back from their Presidents Cup disappointment and end their year on a high at the Australian PGA Championship.
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Both players featured in Ernie Els' International Team at Royal Melbourne last week, where Team USA overturned a 10-8 deficit on the final day to win the biennial event for the eighth time running.
Smith returns to RACV Royal Pines Resort as a back-to-back champion, while Scott - the highest-ranked player in the field - is hoping to win the event for the first time since a four-shot victory in 2013.
"My goal is to bring a similar kind of focus that I had going last week to the golf course and try and get my name on that trophy again," Scott said. "I'm feeling good, I started playing nicely last week in Melbourne.
"When you get those good feelings it's nice to have another event to play in and I'd like to make the most of that this week. Things were starting to fall into a good spot, so I'll see if I can carry that on over here and put some good rounds in.
"I'm really pleased with where my golf is, if I can bring some of that out here this week then I think I've got a good chance of getting myself in for a chance to win, that sounds fun to me. I'd like to try and take some good momentum into next year."
Scott won two and a half points from his five matches for the International side last week while Smith - one of seven rookies in the team - registered one and a half points, including a victory over Justin Thomas in the singles.
Smith defeated Jordan Zunic in a play-off at this event in 2017 and finished two strokes ahead of Marc Leishman last year, with the 26-year-old now looking to become the first player since 1907 to win the Gold Coast tournament three years running.
"I like the golf course, I play well around here," Smith said. "It's just such a good week for me off the golf course - lots of family and friends, the support is really good throughout the week.
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"Last week was very team orientated, which was great, I love being around a team. The team embraced the underdog mentality, but I've got a good record around here.
"I'm feeling really confident with where my game is at. As soon as we were done [at the Presidents Cup], Adam [Scott] said he was coming for me this week. There's 150 guys this week all wanting the same thing, so it's going to be tough to get that trophy on Sunday."
Watch the Australian PGA Championship throughout the week on Sky Sports Golf. Coverage begins from 7am on all four tournament days.
