Scott tees off on push-over golf courses

Adam Scott has lambasted unimaginative golf courses on the US PGA Tour which are allowing winning scores to balloon.

By Evin Priest, Australian Associated Press
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Adam Scott says the art of driving will vanish from the PGA Tour and scores will continue to blow out unless officials do away with weak golf courses.

Scott bemoaned push-over layouts on the US circuit after his third round at the BMW Championship - where 65 of the 69-player field are under par at the 7,600-yard Medinah Country Club.

"They haven't figured out yet that long means nothing to us; you can't build it long enough," Scott said after shooting a three-under 69 to finish day three at nine under.

The Chicago area golf course was once considered a brut, when Tiger Woods won the 1999 US PGA Championship with an 11-under-par 72-hole total and the 2006 edition at 18 under.

But after the third round, BMW leader Justin Thomas reached 21 under.

"I'm not (surprised to see low scores at Medinah); if a golf course is soft we are just going to tear it apart," Scott said.

With significant developments in golf technology, golfers this week have been lighting up a soft and wet Medinah that has recently received significant rain.

On Thursday, Thomas and Jason Kokrak equalled Medinah's course record with 65s.

On Friday, Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama made a mockery of it by shooting 63 to set a new mark.

On Saturday, Thomas shattered that effort with an 11-under 61 - which included two eagles and a bogey - to set a course record for the second day in succession.

Drivers have received most technological advancements of any golf club.

Clubheads sized at 460 cubic centimetre and premium materials are helping pro golfers to launch whopping drives with bigger sweet spots than ever.

But Scott says unimaginative courses that don't ask competitors to spin the ball a certain way are why winning scores are ballooning.

"And I'm not challenging (PGA Tour officials and course designers) to build longer golf courses; I'm challenging them to build smarter golf courses," he said.

"If you require us to shape tee shots to get it in play we're going to struggle.

"(Now) we just play straight, everything is straight. While there is an option to go over trees and over bunkers, it is just relentless."

Scott warned superstar drivers may no longer stand out, such as Australia's Greg Norman and American Davis Love III did in previous eras.

"The driver is the most forgiving club in the bag now; it's just swing as hard as you can and get it down there far," he said.

"It's not a skilful part of the game anymore and it's really unfair for some guys who are great drivers of the golf ball.

"I don't think their talents are showing up as much as they should."


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