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 Scott missed a chance for a perfect ending to 2013 when he
bogeyed the final hole of last year’s Open at Royal Sydney to allow
McIlroy to capture the historic Stonehaven Cup when the Northern
Irishman holed a 16-foot birdie putt at the same hole.
They will return for a rematch from Nov. 27-30 most likely as the
two top-ranked players in the world, though the venue will change to
another course in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, The Australian Golf Club
where Jack Nicklaus won the 1978 Open.
After making history in 2013 when he become the first Australian to
win the Masters at Augusta National, Scott almost claimed
Australia's "triple crown" that year when he won the country's other
two big tournaments prior to the Open.
“It’s great for me that Rory’s going back,” he told reporters at the
WGC-HSBC Champions tournament in Shanghai last weekend.
 “I was really gutted to lose last year leading on the last. I’d done
everything I needed to do to take the lot down there and I messed up
on the last, which was very frustrating. I don’t need too much
motivation to want to go back and win.”
The victory paved the way for McIlroy’s brilliant 2014 season, in
which he stormed to two major titles and reclaimed the world number
one ranking.
“He didn’t look like a guy who was low on confidence,” Scott
recalled of McIlroy, who had struggled at times during 2013 by his
own high standards and had not won a tournament.
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“He played flawless that Sunday. He was looking ominous. He did
everything you’d expect from a top player.”
While McIlroy has enjoyed a spectacular 2014 campaign, Scott has
been steady rather than spectacular, with his lone win coming at the
Crowne Plaza Invitational in Texas.
McIlroy and Scott have not played in the same event since the Tour
Championship in Atlanta in September.
McIlroy will resume after a break at next week’s DP World Tour
Championship in Dubai, the final event on the European Tour
schedule, while the 34-year-old Scott will defend his crown at the
Australian Masters in Melbourne.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
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