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In Australia there is a phenomenon known as the Tall Poppy syndrome, a sometimes pejorative term used to describe an egalitarian society's tendency to chop down to size anybody whose ego or achievements make him stand out too much. This cultural baggage may or may not help explain Norman's careerlong failings in the major championships, particularly at the Masters, where he was four times a runner-up, including the gruesome finish in 1996 when he let a six-stroke lead slip away during the final round. In Australia that telecast played out early on a Monday morning, and Scott vividly recalls watching the Shark unravel before glumly trudging off to school. Augusta will always have special resonance for Aussie golfers because of Norman's annual psychodrama there, and Scott does not try to hide how much he covets a green jacket. "It would be sweet to be the first Australian to win the Masters," he says. "One of us is going to win there sooner rather than later, and I'm working hard to be the guy who breaks through." This seven-decade drought is even more surprising given that Augusta National replicates many of the shot values of Australia's famed Sand Belt courses. (The National's designer, Alister MacKenzie, also laid out Royal Melbourne, which Scott cites as one of his favorite courses.)
At Scott's first Masters, in 2002, he freewheeled his way to a tie for ninth. He seemed destined to be an annual contender, but in his five visits since he has failed to finish better than 23rd. Speaking of all the majors, Scott says, "I haven't played well in them, if I'm honest. I think for a long time I felt I wasn't good enough to win one of them. That's an experience thing."
Scott had a moment of clarity during the 2005 PGA Championship, at which he was paired with eventual champion Phil Mickelson for the first two rounds. "He played terrible!" says Scott. "His ball striking was all over the place. But the key was, he put his head down and he worked hard. He scrambled so hard on every hole. I played beautiful the first two days, and he had me by six or seven shots. I was like, There's something wrong here. I'm not doing something right."
Scott got another jolt when Ogilvy won the 2006 U.S. Open. Throughout their careers Scott had always been one step ahead of his pal (who is three years older), and to see Ogilvy prevail convinced Scott that he, too, must be ready. He also enjoyed the added incentive of tasting champagne from the winner's trophy. Scott was about to step onto Ernie Els's plane back to London when he heard about the topsy-turvy finish, highlighted by Mickelson's notorious collapse, at Winged Foot. He immediately headed back to the course so he could be part of the celebration. "That was impressive," says Ogilvy. "He was so genuinely happy for me, even though he was probably insanely jealous at the same time. It shows what a good friend he is."
At the final two majors of 2006 Scott applied the lessons learned from Mickelson and Ogilvy, brawling for every par and playing with a newfound belief in himself. He tied for eighth at the British Open and tied for third at the PGA, his two best finishes in the majors. He was unable to build on these successes amid all the tumult of last year, but Scott remains undeterred. "He has a good attitude about his career, very positive," says Garcia. "We all wish we could win almost every week like Tiger, but it's not that simple. You guys" — the media — "make it out like winning is easy, but it doesn't work that way. He understands that and stays focused on improving his game and not worrying about all the other stuff."
Scott's equanimity was evident during a recent afternoon of surfing in Carlsbad, Calif. He may be a big deal in golf circles, but Scott has no superstar airs; like all the other surf rats, he stripped off his clothes and slid on a wet suit while standing alongside the road. Scott got into surfing only in the last few years, but he has dived in, lugging his boards to tournament sites and becoming an investor in Firewire Surfboards, an Australian maker of high-tech boards. On this outing in Carlsbad, the conditions weren't ideal but Scott still spent a long time in the chilly water. Toweling off afterward, his summary of the day reflected his easygoing nature as well as the determination that may yet define him.
"The waves may not be great," Scott said, "but it's still up to you to ride them."
