Scott stands steady for the Ocean Course

At Kiawah Island for the 2012 PGA Championship this week, Adam Scott is determined to remedy the Open anguish he suffered just two weeks ago at Royal Lytham and St. Anne's, when the Australian bogeyed the final four holes to finish a shot behind Ernie Els.

Scott, 32, returned to action last week at the WCG Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio, when a performance he describes as "not anything impressive at all" left him in a tie for 45th. The world number seven has enjoyed four days of practice on the Ocean Course over the past 10 days though, and he is looking forward to the final opportunity of 2012 to win his first major title.

"Everything still feels good with my game," says Scott, who finished seventh in the 2011 PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. "It was good to get my mind switched on again last week, although it seemed to be on and off as the week went on. It was good to be competitive again before coming here for the PGA Championship."

Since the Open, Scott has been boosted by countless messages of support from friends and fellow Tour golfers. He received a call from his childhood idol and mentor Greg Norman in the immediate aftermath of losing the Open, and one greeting this week stood out.

"Nick Mumford was my first caddie when I turned pro," explains Scott, "and he caddies for Anders Hanson now. He came up to me with such a look of sadness on his face. He said, ‘Adam, I cried for you'. He was so gutted, and that was super-nice of him. Nick is a great guy and I certainly have good memories of being 19 and Nick caddying for me - those were fun times."

Last month, incidentally, was not the first time Scott has come so close to holding the Open's Claret Jug. 2011 Open champion Darren Clarke took the famous silver jug to the Australian PGA Championship last year, and when Scott had his picture taken with Clarke, the Claret Jug and Norman - twice an Open champion himself - Scott refused to hold the Claret Jug himself.

"We were talking about the Jug and people were taking some photos," recalls Scott. "They wanted me to hold the trophy, but I didn't think I should. It was not out of superstition, but I believe you need to earn the right to hold the Claret Jug. I would not feel good about picking up the PGA Championship's Wannamaker Trophy either, unless it was out on the 18th green on Sunday."

Scott tees off at 1:10 tomorrow (US Eastern time) in the first round, with American Hunter Mahan and Spain's Sergio Garcia.

Story courtesy of Mercedes-Benz, official car of the 2012 PGA Championship