Weekly Recap: Scott Takes Two in a Row

Okay, who's a math whiz out there? Because this golf thing is getting confusing.

First, we had the Big 3: Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day. Rickie Fowler won some big events, and he was welcomed into a brand new Big 4. But then Bubba Watson won three weeks ago to overtake Fowler and move to No. 4 in the world. And now, Adam Scott has won the past two weeks, and he's up to No. 6 in the world.

So – and this is where the math comes in – is it still a Big 4? 5? 6?

One month before the Masters, however big or little you want to make that list, make sure to put Scott on it. And right now, he goes at the top. The amiable Australian overcame a disastrous start on Sunday to win the WGC-Cadillac Championship, a week after winning the Honda Classic, not to mention two weeks after finishing second to Watson at Riviera.

Scott and Watson are at the top of their games with Augusta fast approaching. At Doral, in the first big event of the season, Spieth, Day and Fowler were never in the conversation. McIlroy, however, carried a three-stroke lead into Sunday only to fall apart again, just as he did three weeks ago.

Scott is a former No. 1 and won the Masters in 2013, back when he was using a broomstick putter. No one wins the Masters without deciphering Augusta's dastardly greens.

But as we touched on last week, there was concern that once the anchored-putting ban kicked in at the beginning of this year, Scott could enter the Witness Protection Program. He has put the broomstick and those concerns aside, becoming the first two-time winner on the PGA Tour this season and the first to win back-to-back weeks since Billy Horschel in 2014.

And he did so after double-bogeying not one but two of the first five holes at Trump National Doral Miami on Sunday, leaving him a whopping six strokes behind McIlroy. He played the final 13 holes in 6-under.

Scott, unsurprisingly, finished first in strokes gained: tee to green. His strokes gained: putting numbers are still not great, but he was 18-for-18 from inside on 10 feet in the final round, including a demanding 6-foot 8-incher on 18 to avoid a playoff with Watson. Analytics aside, perfection is pretty dang good.

The greens at Doral and the greens at the Honda are not the greens at Augusta. But Scott is starting to make a believer of some who thought he couldn't get it done there.

He was even asked by a reporter at Doral whether he should now be the Masters favorite.

"No, I think Bubba is," Scott said.

Scott, Watson. … Watson, Scott. 1-2 or 2-1.

You do the math.

MONDAY TAKEAWAY

Bubba Watson

If Scott is the best golfer right now–and he is–then Watson isn't far behind. Watson didn't do anything wrong on Sunday, unless you want to count a lone bogey on No. 14, it's just that Scott was a bit better. Watson has now finished second three times at Doral. After the first two, he won the Masters.

Rory McIlroy

Everything was going just fine for McIlroy, thank you. And then on Sunday morning he shook hands with the man whose name adorns Trump National Doral Miami. An expected cakewalk victory suddenly turned into another collapse, much like at Riviera. McIlroy wound up tied for third, two strokes behind Scott. In the first three rounds at Doral, he showed that when he's at his best, he's the best in the world. The world rankings say he's No. 2, supplanting Day behind Spieth. We'll see McIlroy next in two weeks, when he defends his WGC-Match Play title.

Danny Willett

The Englishman tied McIlroy for third and was in it until he rinsed his tee ball on the Blue Monster. Still, it's another successful, big-time showing for Willett, who now has three top-threes in WGCs – two this season and last year's Match Play. And he moved to a career-best No. 11 in the world heading into his appearance in this week's Valspar Championship. That's a nice little perk for owners of Willett, who spurned the chance for special temporary PGA Tour membership.

Harris English

English shot four rounds of par or better, and only six other golfers did that. His rank of 10th is his best showing ever at a stroke-play WGC or major and continued a season that may be his best yet. English is up to 26th in the point standings entering the Valspar, where he's been in the top 10 twice in the past three years. He should definitely be on your radar this week.

Andy Sullivan

The rising Euro will sit out Tampa, but he's coming off two decent showings in Florida. The Englishman, ranked 30th in the world, tied for 17th at Doral a week after a T26 at the Honda. Sullivan will be back next week for the Match Play and the Masters, but we don't know yet whether he'll commit to Houston.

Jason Day

Day owners likely are a bit concerned at his season to date. He's not playing a lot and not making much noise when he does play, including a T23 at Doral. But Day seems to be pointing toward the Masters. He's skipping Valspar this week, will play the Match Play and then the Arnold Palmer. After that, we'll have a much better read on where the world No. 3 stands.

Kevin Na

Na is eighth in points and 26th in the world … so what's not to like? Well, his last three events have gone MC-MC-T35 at Doral. Na will be at Valspar, the Match Play and the Palmer. He had top-10s last year at Tampa and Bay Hill, so he could find his form soon. But something seems to be off since Na's great start in the fall season.

Branden Grace

Grace also appears to be a fade, after missing the cut at the Honda and struggling in the first three rounds at Doral. Of course, if he's on your team, he's a must start this week at Valspar.

Steven Bowditch

There were 15 rounds in the 80s at Doral on the week, and Bowditch's name was on four of them (81-80-80-84). It's not easy to shoot four rounds in the 80s, and not just because golfers are good at golf. After all, if you shoot two, you've likely missed a cut. And if you're in a no-cut event, you're among the best of the best. The last time someone notched four rounds in the 80s was at the inaugural Panasonic Vegas Pro-Celebrity Classic (now the Shriners) in 1983. Mike Dunaway did it four days in a row, then missed the cut – it was a five-round event back then. Fun Bowditch fact: On Friday, he actually strung together four straight birdies, including one on the Blue Monster. But he also had a sextuple-bogey 10 on the card.