Scott sets sights on winning a major

Friday, Feb. 17, 2006 | 12:32 p.m.

Adam Scott has a pair of top-10 finishes in major championships during his brief professional career, but now he is looking for more.

Scott, a native Australian who spent one year at UNLV before turning pro, has his sights set on winning a major this year.

"I still would like to perform well in every other tournament, as well," Scott said, "but certainly I think for me to break through in a major is the next step."

Scott, 25, has three PGA Tour victories and five international victories. His top showing in a major is a ninth-place tie - which he accomplished in both the 2004 PGA Championship and the 2002 Masters.

Scott, who has made the cut in three of his four Masters appearances, said he believes his best shot at winning a major championship lies at Augusta National.

"I think my short game really needs to be on at Augusta to win," Scott said. "I think that's just a given. You have to be fantastic around the greens and very demanding on the chipping and pitching. But certainly if I'm playing well, I think I have a good chance at Augusta.

"I kind of have a soft spot for Augusta, and I think I'd like to be the first Australian to win The Masters."

Scott said he would continue to play the minimum of 11 events in Europe to keep his membership in the European Tour but will concentrate on playing the PGA Tour because "I want to play the strongest fields every week and ... most weeks out of the year, that's in America."

Scott is making his second PGA Tour start of the year this weekend in the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club, where he is the defending champion.

Scott played his freshman season at UNLV under coach Dwaine Knight and was a member of the Rebels squad that finished sixth at the NCAA Championships at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. Scott finished 11th in the individual standings as a freshman.

Back on course

Playing in his first PGA Tour event in 33 months after undergoing back surgery, Las Vegas resident Bob May tied for 56th place at last weekend's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Instead of viewing the tournament as an important step in his recovery, May said it was a classic example of an opportunity lost - especially after he played himself to within eight shots of the lead after two rounds.

"I had myself in pretty good position there at one time and then just made some dumb bogeys," said May, who fired a 5-under-par 67 in Friday's second round but followed with rounds of 74 and 76 and finished at even-par 288.

"I felt that (67) was still in me and it was nice to get it out in some tournament rounds ... but my expectations were to actually play better than what I did - especially after I had myself right in (contention)."

After undergoing surgery in 2003 for bulging discs in his back, May said, at one time he went two years without swinging a club.

Brian Hilderbrand can be reached at 259-4089 or at bh@lasvegassun.com.