Golf-Optimistic Scott sees light at end of dark form tunnel

By Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Adam Scott wants to put a horror year on the U.S. PGA Tour behind him and play his way back into the world's top 10, the Australian said on Wednesday. Scott, who peaked at world number three last year, tumbled out of the top 70 after a rash of missed cuts, including three of this year's four majors.

The Australian, currently ranked 62nd, feels he is starting to recapture some form and finished tied for third behind Briton Ian Poulter at the co-sanctioned $5 million Singapore Open earlier this month.

"I believe I spent a lot a long time in the top 10 in the world consistently and I certainly feel like I'm good enough to be a top 10 player in the world year after year," the 29-year-old told reporters.

"I played very well in Singapore. I felt I had all parts of my game under control, which hadn't been the case for most of this year.

"I've just been working on the same stuff since then, trying to keep getting better ... I'm trying to put the complete package together here."

Scott is among a number of top Australian golfers seeking to upset world number one Tiger Woods on home soil at the A$1.5 million ($1.4 million) Australian Masters, which starts on Thursday.

Scott, who missed 10 of 19 cuts on tour this year, and six in a row at one point, said his confidence had taken such a beating that there were times he was simply hitting and hoping.

"I just had to aim straight and hope it was not too far either way. It's a terrible feeling because the courses are so difficult, the set-up is so tough that a miss is going to be really punished," he added.