Adam Scott is back in contention at the Tour Championship, but a story from his breakthrough victory at the 2004 Players Championship remains one of the more memorable moments from his early PGA Tour career. Scott recalled the incident at TPC Sawgrass, more than two decades after the tournament.
At the time, Scott was still trying to establish himself on the PGA Tour. He had only one PGA Tour victory before winning the Players Championship in 2004, but his opening-round 65 quickly put him in the spotlight.
Scott’s then-girlfriend, now wife, Marie Kojzar, was with him that week. After Scott took the first-round lead, the couple went to dinner at a shopping complex across from TPC Sawgrass. What they heard at the restaurant left Kojzar ready to defend Scott.
Scott is now a 14-time PGA Tour winner, a Masters champion, and a former world No. 1. He is also currently competing at East Lake Golf Club, where he entered the final round of the Tour Championship tied for third after a 5-under 65 on Saturday.
Adam Scott Reveals Why He Held His Wife Back
Scott recalled that he and Kojzar were dating when he won the 2004 Players Championship. After his opening-round 65, they went out for dinner and overheard a conversation at the bar.
“I have funny stories from that week,” Scott said. “Actually my wife and I were dating at that point, all those years ago. She was here with me.”
Scott said the people sitting nearby were discussing who was leading the tournament.
“We had dinner on Thursday night after the first round somewhere across the street there in the shopping complex, and we were sitting at the bar eating and overheard the guys next to us, and he said, ‘who is leading this tournament?’ And the guy looked at him and said ‘some expletive no-name.’ And it was me.”
According to Scott, Kojzar was prepared to respond to the comment.
“My wife, or girlfriend at the time, was ready to kind of jump in there and let him have it, but I held her back,” Scott said.
Scott ultimately had the perfect response on the golf course. He went on to win the Players Championship that week, defeating Padraig Harrington by one stroke.
The victory helped move Scott beyond the “no-name” label he had overheard at dinner.
“But it was pretty funny,” Scott said. “So it was good to go on and win and maybe get out of the no-name category.”
Adam Scott Chasing Another Tour Championship Win
More than 20 years later, Scott remains a major figure on the PGA Tour. He reached No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking in 2014 and won the Masters in 2013.
He also won the Tour Championship in 2006, before the FedEx Cup was created. Now 46, Scott has another chance to win the season-ending event at East Lake.
Scott shot a 5-under 65 in Saturday’s third round and moved to 12 under for the tournament. He trails 54-hole leader Viktor Hovland by three strokes and is tied for third.
“It’s a good spot,” Scott said. “Within striking distance. It’s so congested, though. It’s going to need a really great round, I think. There’s someone lurking who’s going to have that.”
Scott also needs a strong final round to claim his first PGA Tour victory since February 2020. A win would also give him his first FedEx Cup title.
“To be a FedEx Cup champion is really one of those career milestones that I’d like to achieve still,” Scott said earlier in the week. “I know time is really not on my side for that.”
His strong third round was aided by an exceptional putting performance. Scott made nearly 132 feet of putts, his second-best putting round of the season.
A victory would make Scott the oldest winner in Tour Championship history, surpassing Tiger Woods, who was 42 when he won the event in 2018. For now, the Australian enters Sunday within three shots of Hovland and with another opportunity to add to his decorated career.
Adam Scott Reveals Why He Had to Hold His Wife Back at a Restaurant