Adam Scott’s latest heartbreak at the US Open came with an unexpected silver lining: a guaranteed place in what will be his 100th consecutive major championship. Despite holding a share of the lead on the back nine of a chaotic final round at Oakmont, Scott slipped to a tie for 12th, continuing a pattern of near misses in major championships.
Playing alongside third-round leader Sam Burns, Scott battled through what he later described as “borderline unplayable” conditions. Heavy storms had forced a suspension of play for over an hour, soaking the fairways and turning the already punishing Oakmont layout into a brutal test of survival. Burns and Scott posted scores of 78 and 79 respectively, undone by a combination of soaked turf, missed fairways, and bad breaks.
Scott was still just one shot off the lead with four holes to play but saw his hopes collapse at the 15th. He struggled to control his tee shots after the delay, pushing drives to the right and finding it nearly impossible to recover in the soggy rough and tight pin positions.
“The conditions were the hardest of the week,” Scott said afterward. “Once the fairways were soaked, it was very hard controlling the golf ball. The course just couldn’t take much more water.”
His week had begun superbly. Scott became just the third player in history to open a US Open at Oakmont with three rounds of 70 or better, joining Curtis Strange and Shane Lowry. But he couldn’t sustain that consistency when it mattered most.
The collapse won’t ease the sting of missed opportunity particularly as the Australian was seeking to become the oldest US Open winner since Hale Irwin in 1990. At 44, he was on the verge of joining an elite group of Australians with multiple majors, a list that includes Peter Thomson, Greg Norman, and David Graham.
Yet there’s still a lasting accomplishment to celebrate. His top-12 finish earns him an automatic berth at next year’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills. He is already exempt for the upcoming British Open and the 2026 Masters and PGA Championship. His streak of consecutive major starts, already unmatched among active players at 96, is now all but certain to reach the milestone century.
For a player whose career has been defined by elite longevity and agonizing near-misses, that 100th major will be more than symbolic. It’s a mark of sustained excellence in a sport where careers often fizzle well before such milestones are in sight.
