Scott was the reigning Masters champion when he teed it up at Royal Sydney last December.
He had captured the Australian PGA and Australian Masters titles, and was looking to become only the second player behind fellow Australian Robert Allenby to capture the ‘Big Three’ of Australian golf.
Scott contested the final round alongside McIlroy and was a shot clear coming up the last hole when he sent his second shot horribly over the back of the green.
Scott – to the dismay of the patriotically partisan crowd – took three shots to get down for a bogey while McIlroy holed out for a birdie to win by a stroke and post his first and only victory of 2013.
“I finished such an amazing month on such a disappointing note, and the result just gutted me for weeks in not winning the Australian Open,” said Scott.
“So I will be going back there with a chip on my shoulder. I don’t often get upset, but I was really mad at myself because I was absolutely gutted in not being able to win last year.
“So I will be playing at The Australian Club with real intent to make amends for what happened at Royal Sydney.”
While it’s evident last year’s result still rankles, Scott praised McIlroy’s decision to defend the title, and in doing so seek to become just the third non-Australian born player along with Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player to successfully defend the Stonehaven Trophy.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2014.
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