Professional golfers don’t set out to have ironman streaks. As Adam Scott once said in 2018, “I am playing all these majors to win them, not just to show up.”
But as Scott gets settled at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club this week, the Australian has begun to appreciate the milestone he’ll clinch Thursday that only Jack Nicklaus achieved before him: making 100 consecutive major starts.
“I found it difficult at first reflecting on something while I’m still playing. I think I’ve never really been one to dwell on milestones,” Scott told reporters Tuesday in Southampton, N.Y. “I think it’s something I’ll probably do at the end of my career.
“However, it’s resonated a little bit more with me the last few days, and from people close to me, to my sponsors and partners, I’m so appreciative of everyone recognizing this. It’s a strange one because it’s not something you really set out to do or aim for.”
Nicklaus played in 146 straight majors without missing a start from 1962 through the 1998 U.S. Open. Don’t expect Scott, who turns 46 next month, to chase that down — he’d have to play in every major for another 11-plus years.
“It’s been fun. I had a photograph with Jack Nicklaus a couple of weeks ago at his Memorial Tournament, and he’s the other guy who made it to a hundred in a row,” Scott said. “He, in fact, made it way past that, and I can’t even think about playing another 11 or 12 years straight of these, but I’m really excited for this week.”
Still, Scott’s rare achievement has become a source of pride, and he wasn’t completely ignorant of the big No. 100 as it approached.
He wasn’t originally in the field for the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, but he was added to replace Grayson Murray after his death that May. Scott was ranked No. 61 in the world; the top 60 players gain automatic entry, and Murray had been 59th.
“In all honesty, since Pinehurst a couple years ago, it kind of was on my radar,” Scott said. “Earlier this year, as I wasn’t automatically qualified for this event, it became a bit of a weight on my shoulders making sure I got here.”
Scott was formally in the field after the Cadillac Championship in early May, as he sat inside that top 60. (When asked Tuesday if he considered requesting a special exemption from the USGA, he gave a one-word answer: “No.”)
The 2013 Masters champion hasn’t lost a step on the course. He’s still in the mix at some majors, tying for 12th at the U.S. Open at Oakmont last year. And Scott has more course familiarity than most playing Shinnecock this week, having competed there at the 2004 and 2018 U.S. Opens.
“I think the wind makes the challenge here,” Scott said, “whereas Oakmont the course is just the challenge. It doesn’t matter if it’s windy or not.
“I think the beauty of this course is obviously around the greens and the options and the situations you’ll find yourself in that you really don’t plan to be in and how you manage that and compose yourself to get it around the course and get it in the house.”
Plenty of factors go into the longevity required for a 100-major streak. You can’t get injured or sick at the wrong time, to say nothing of keeping your game strong enough to qualify time after time.
Scott boiled it down to one word: focus.
“I would say probably overall a certain level of focus has been required over the 25 years to maintain, I’ll call it golf at this elite level, major championship level. It has taken a lot of focus to do that,” he said.
“I think there are lots of little things you could break down after that, but I’m quite proud that I’ve managed to keep my focus this long and keep pushing through. Obviously not all years and all weeks out here are easy, and you’re playing full of confidence, (you) manage to keep it all together for a long time.”
