After more than two decades playing on the PGA Tour, Adam Scott confirmed on Friday that he was about to become a rookie again. The 42-year-old Queenslander told reporters that he was making his debut as a member of the Player Advisory Council in 2023.
Not surprisingly, the PGA Tour’s ongoing evolution in the face of the threat from the LIV Golf League played a large role in Scott’s decision to join the 16-player committee that consults with and makes recommendations to the tour’s Policy Board (board of directors) and commissioner Jay Monahan. So did seeing other notable players such as Rory McIlroy taking leadership roles.
“I’m more interested in what the tour is planning on doing with the tour than how we’re fighting a lawsuit. I couldn’t care less about that to be honest,” Scott said. “I’m more interested in what the future of the tour looks like. I convinced myself that it was worth diving into that to see what’s going on.”
Scott is one of three Major winners on the PAC, along with Shane Lowry and Scottie Scheffler, and he instantly becomes the winningest player among those serving in 2023. His participation can only be seen as a plus for the tour, given Scott’s experience playing around the world and his knowledge of the professional game.
Scott’s decision to join the PAC was notable enough for NBC play-by-play commentator Dan Hicks to mention it during Sunday’s broadcast of the Sony Open in Hawaii. When the cameras caught Scott, who was in the midst shooting a final-round 67 to finish T-21 for the week, Hicks told the audience about the 14-time tour winner’s new role. But the reaction it drew from Hicks’ broadcast partner, Paul Azinger, was a unexpected.
“I was on that PAC for 13 years,” said Azinger, himself a 12-time tour winner. “I thought it was a colossal waste of time. But you think you’re achieving things, but …
“Really?” Hicks responded, the inflection in his voice one of obvious surprise, bordering on shock, from what he’d just heard.
“Ah, you know,” Azinger said, seemingly knowing he’d gone down a path Hick’s hadn’t expect to travel.
“Well, you’re sitting in that chair to be honest,” Hicks said.
“It might be different nowadays,” Azinger said, laughing too.
“Jeeeeez,” Hicks said.
While Scott couldn’t have heard Azinger’s comments, our guess is that he believes his tenure will be of more consequence.
“It’s an important time for the tour to kind of map out the next decade and beyond, what playing the PGA Tour kind of is working towards and what that looks like,” Scott said on Friday.
“As well as everyone out here probably wants to know, full schedule and beyond. But it is a critical, critical … it’s just a time of change. And, yeah, big decisions are going to be made and they need to be the right ones.”
