Scott's Masters mindset: check back later

AUGUSTA, Ga. -- One of the obligatory stories each year at the Masters is the scarcity of victories by Australian players at Augusta National Golf Club.

Current count: 0.

Having nothing much to draw on among their compatriots, the Aussies have to be self-reliant. But that's not an easy thing, either.

Case in point is Adam Scott, who double-bogeyed the first hole and bogeyed the last for an even-par 72 in Thursday's opening round.

Asked about his mindset and what it takes to win the Masters, Scott offered a rather frank but sincere reply. "I don't really know what it takes to win, because I've never won," he said. "I should probably think everything differently than whatever I've ever been thinking before. That might work."

Told that that actually makes some sense, Scott smiled. "Well, it kind of does."

One hurdle for the 30-year-old from Adelaide is getting past the first hole. He has never birdied it in the 33 rounds he's played at Augusta National, and his double-bogey Thursday was his fourth there.

"I think it's underrated," Scott said of the difficulty of Tea Olive, which Retief Goosen eagled earlier in the round. "That green gives me nightmares. It's one of the most difficult greens out there. It gets overlooked. That one's sneaky for how hard it is. You have to stand up and take notice right there."

Like he said, he might need to think something different. Starting on the first hole, obviously.

-- Dave Shedloski