Scott Rolls to Victory in Australian Masters


Gallery favorite Adam Scott fired a 5-under 67 to easily overcome a one-stroke deficit entering the final round to win the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne.

Scott, a native of Adelaide, finished at 17-under 271, four strokes ahead of Ian Poulter, who had a 72 after starting Sunday with a one-shot advantage over Scott. While Poulter could only must four birdies and a like number of bogeys, Scott was far more stellar before the hometown crowd, carding six birdies - including five on the front nine - and a bogey.

Appropriately, Scott's final birdie came on the par-4 18th for his first title since the 2011 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Soon after accepting the trophy and the brown jacket emblematic of the champion, Scott told reporters, "Winning the Australian Open was like getting the monkey off my back a couple of years ago, but this is certainly something I've wanted to achieve for a long time.

"Maybe I can set the theme of winning jackets and turn it green (the U.S. Masters) next year before I come back to defend."

Though Poulter was off his game all day, the 36-year-old Englishman said his bogey on the par-5 12th was particularly crucial. "It wasn't a mistake in club selection, it was a poor swing," said the defending champion in the PGA Tour of Australasia event.

"So, if you're going to make a poor swing in that situation then you're going to get punished, and I did. I made a good 6 in the end, but a bogey there's costly and obviously a bogey on the next par-5 was also very costly."

Gareth Paddison (68) and Mark Brown (69) shared third at 9-under 279, while three shots further back was Adam Crawford (65). Two other Aussies - Peter Senior (68) and Michael Hendry (69) tied for sixth at 284.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell posted a 71 to finish in eighth at 286 with David Bransdon (72).

For all the scores, visit http://www.pga.org.au/scores/1115.