Adam Scott’s streak of playing in 67 straight majors, the second longest current run behind just Sergio Garcia, remains in jeopardy after the Aussie failed to qualify for the U.S. Open on Sunday under one of the handful of remaining exempt categories. But it was not for a lack of trying.
Sitting a No. 65 on the World Ranking, Scott, 37, added the AT&T Byron Nelson to his schedule with the knowledge that if he was 60th or better after play ended at Trinity Forest, he would be exempt through sectional qualifying to compete at Shinnecock Hills in June. And while Scott closed strong on Sunday, shooting a bogey-free 65, including a birdie on the final hole, to grab his first top-10 finish in almost a year, he only managed to jump to 61st on the ranking, with Chesson Hadley sitting in 60th.
“I tried to make the most of really favorable conditions today, and I did a pretty good job of it. Just never really got a hot run going,” said Scott, who went 67-65-72-65 for a T-9 finish. “I feel like I struggled on the weekend reading the greens well enough to really get it going, but I think everyone but the leaders did that, too. They’re not the easiest greens to read.”
Scott had been scrambling for the last few weeks to try to earn a way into the field at the U.S. Open, playing in the Wells Fargo Championship and the Players ahead of the Byron Nelson.
All is not lost for Scott. There is another cutoff for players inside the top 60 in the world after the FedEx St. Jude Classic (June 11), just as U.S. Open week begins.
He’ll also be competing at this week’s Fort Worth Invitational and is prepared to play the Memorial and the FedEx St. Jude Classic if needed to earn his trip. He is not, however, scheduled to compete in sectional qualifying.
“I’ll play next week and hopefully play really well, and give myself a bit of cushion so I can take a week or so off and try to prepare the best I can for the U.S. Open,” Scott said.
Scott’s major streak began in 2001 at the Open Championship. During his run, he has one win (2013 Masters), eight top-five finishes, 16 top-10s and just 15 missed cuts.
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