The China Mail - Scott's 'old-man par golf' has him in the hunt at US Open

Scott, playing in his 96th consecutive major tournament, has fired back-to-back 70s in the first two rounds at Oakmont to stand on 140, three strokes behind leader Sam Burns and the only player at par or better with a major title.

"I feel like this is what I've been working towards," Scott said. "I was kind of in the mix late at the PGA, and now putting myself in this one for the weekend -- it's a long way to go, but I feel like my game is in good enough shape to do this."

World number 42 Scott became the first Aussie to win the Masters in 2013, beating Angel Cabrera in a playoff.

The most recent of his 14 career PGA Tour titles was in 2020 at Riviera, although he was runner-up last year at the Scottish Open and BMW Championship.

"Of course I'd like to win lots more tournaments, any of them, to be perfectly honest. I'd like to win something," Scott said.

"I've put together a nice career, but I think another major more would really go a long way in fulfilling my own self, when it's all said and done.

"This is all I'm really playing for are these big events. There's probably eight of them off the top of my mind a year that I really want to win."

Asked how he would describe his career window to win a US Open, Scott said, "Ajar."

Scott, whose major streak began with the 2001 British Open, has the second-longest run of major appearances after the record 146 by Jack Nicklaus 1962-1998.

Scott admitted that his consistency at playing in majors might go underappreciated.

"Maybe it does," he said. "But I'd be pretty proud of winning this thing on the weekend. That's really what I'm here to do."

Scott said he has quietly been building confidence.

"There has probably not been many signs to anyone else but me the last month or six weeks that my game is looking better, but I definitely feel more confident than I have been this year," Scott said.

"For most of the first two days, I've been in the fairway off the tee, and therefore hasn't been too much stress in the rounds."

While handfuls of contenders have charged only to fall by the wayside, Scott's old-man golf is keeping him in the hunt.

"It's just hard out there," Scott said. "It's hard to keep it going when guys have got on a run. It seems like they've come back a bit."

Heavy rain drenched the course on Friday night, likely making the firm and fast greens more receptive come the weekend.

"The rain might keep it under control, hopefully, and spare us some frustrations," he said.

G.Fung--ThChM