will anchor a Saturday card of eight stakes worth a total of

ARDMORE, Pa. -- Adam Scott can understand why so many people thought he would have a hard time getting over his epic collapse in the British Open. They didnt understand his master plan of trying to get better instead of just trying to get better results. Ernie Els walked away from Royal Lytham & St. Annes with a silver claret jug. Scott walked away believing he finally was capable of winning a major, and it wasnt just a pep talk to soothe the shock over losing a four-shot lead with four holes to play. "I think if I sat there and watched someone else do what I did, it would have been devastating," Scott said Monday. "Its maybe more apparent to me now that you were all surprised that I wasnt just shattered. But honestly, thats not how I felt." In a decision that reshaped his career, Scott decided two years ago to play a limited schedule and practice smarter so that he would be ready for the biggest events. That Sunday afternoon at the British Open, despite the ugly finish, showed him he was on the right track. He promised that day the next time -- and he was certain there would be a next time -- he would finish the job. Scotts story had a happy ending. At his hideaway in the Bahamas, the Australian starts each day by slipping on the green jacket he won at Augusta National two months ago, when he made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole and then another birdie in the rain on the second playoff hole to win the Masters. Except that Scott doesnt see this as the end. He is among the favourites when the U.S. Open begins Thursday at Merion, a course that was soaked by more rain Monday. Scott will be part of the feature group the opening two rounds, playing alongside Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy -- Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in the world ranking. Scott has been part of this routine before. The first time the USGA put together the top three players in the world was at Torrey Pines in 2008 -- Woods and San Diego native Mickelson at 1 and 2, and Scott feeling very much out of place. "I think anyone would have felt like the third wheel that week," Scott said. "Remembering back to Torrey Pines, the hype was enormous around that pairing. There was so much talk about it being Phils hometown and Tiger dominating Torrey for years. It was an experience Ill never forget. Ive never seen that many people on a Thursday morning on the first tee. It was a great atmosphere." And now? "Im probably also the third wheel this week, as well," Scott said with a laugh. Maybe not. Woods still drives the show in golf, already a four-time winner on tour this year as he tries to end his five-year drought in the majors. McIlroy, a major champion each of the last two years, is in one of his slumps and has yet to win this year. Scott, meanwhile, is trying to join some elite company. Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan are the only players in the last 60 years to have won the Masters and U.S. Open in the same season. And while every Masters champion has that opportunity, Scott is good enough to make the quest realistic. "I cant lie to you -- I do feel a lot better coming here, even discussing that kind of thing," Scott said. "Its a good feeling to come here to know that Ive achieved that. Ive got my first major. And my sights are definitely set on trying to win more." The biggest star could be Merion, hosting the U.S. Open for the first time since 1981. And the course at the moment is sharing the stage with Mother Nature. Merion received more than 3 inches of rain on Friday, which left it unplayable Saturday. Even as players were getting started Monday morning, more sheets of rain began to fall. Some of the bunkers were flooded, and the course was closed until 11 a.m. A little more than three hours later, the rain returned. The only activity on the course was workers using squeegees to remove small pools of water from the greens and some fairways. The thick rough was wet, mangled and muddied. Even as players tried a third time to practice, dark clouds loomed and more rain was on the way. Woods returned to hit pitch shots from short of the 18th green. There wasnt much work to get in. Scott had wanted to play seven rounds at Merion leading to the U.S. Open, so he was glad he showed up a week ago. "Ive had three full rounds and thats taken my time trying to figure everything out," Scott said. "I think Ive got a pretty good idea where Im going to try to go. Obviously with it being a little soft, it becomes a little more simple than what it was. The ball is just going to stop where it lands. So if youre accurate, youll be fine." The change in Scott came early in the 2011 season, when he was frustrated with the direction of his game, especially in the majors. Even though he reached as high as No. 3 in the world, he never seriously challenged in the Grand Slam events. He huddled with his swing coach and longtime friend Brad Malone and mapped out a plan. "He has been so influential in so many decisions of mine, and I think its been helpful because he knows me well as a person as well as knowing my golf swing very well," Scott said. "He could see the frustration, so he just essentially eliminated things that frustrated me and made everything a positive. Just set things up so golf was incredibly enjoyable for me and I was getting better all the time." Scott paid more attention to improving than his scores. He was more frustrated by his runner-up finish in the 2011 Masters than his meltdown at Royal Lytham because he controlled the tournament for 68 holes in the British Open. And if Angel Cabrera had chipped in on the first playoff hole to win the Masters? "Theyre tough pills to swallow, but thats golf," Scott said. "Just because you get close once doesnt mean youre going to get given one. And that was something that I was very conscious of the last four holes at Augusta. I stood there on the 15th fairway and said, Youre two back and no one is going to give this to you today. Youre going to have to something. Youre owed nothing in golf. You really just have to go and get it." Basket Air Max 270 Homme Pas Cher . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Air Max 270 Lilas Pas Cher .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. http://www.airmax270reactpascher.fr/fausse-air-max-270-2021.html . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. Air Max 270 React Blanche Pas Cher . Meanwhile, there were huge victories for Sunderland and West Ham over fellow relegation rivals, leaving the battle to avoid the drop up for grabs with the bottom 11 teams separated by just six points. Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres scored second-half goals to seal a fourth straight victory for Chelsea, which climbed above Arsenal and Manchester City in the standings ahead of their games on Monday and Sunday respectively. Air Max 270 React Pas Cher . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Pat On the Back will be stepping outside of the New York-bred ranks for the first time in his career Saturday in the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot. He will be seeking his third stakes win after victories in the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow last month at Belmont Park and the $120,000 Aspirant in September at Finger Lakes.Pat On the Back on Monday was flying from his Churchill Downs base to Delta Downs, which is located in Vinton, La. Trainer Ken McPeek said there were several reasons to target the Jackpot, a 1-1/16-mile race for 2-year-olds that carries eligibility points for the Kentucky Derby.We felt like he was ready for open company, McPeek said. Theres more to gain than there is to lose. Hes a horse thats been real professional, been on form, and we figured wed step him up.Pat On the Back races for Harold Lerner, AWC Stables, and Nehoc Stables. He is a son of Congrats who was purchased at auction as a yearling for $70,000 at Saratoga.He was a big, strong horse as a yearling and hes progressed at 2, McPeek said. We were fortunate to get him for $70,000.Pat On the Back has compiled a record of three wins from five starts, for earnings of $300,020.Robby Albarado has the mount from the rail in the Jackpot, a two-turn race on the six-furlong, sand-based oval at Delta. It will be the first time the rider has teamed with the horse.I wanted somebody that knew the track down there, McPeek said. I wanted someone who knew the course, the configuration.Albarado and McPeek won the Jackpot in 2006 with Birdbirdistheword.McPeek is hopeful Pat On the Back will adapt to the conditions at Delta, considering the horse has won races at Belmont, Finger Lakes, and Saratoga.ddddddddddddHes handled about everything thrown at him up to now, McPeek said.The Jackpot is the centerpiece of the Delta meet, and it will anchor a Saturday card of eight stakes worth a total of $2.3 million. First post is 1:45 p.m. Central, and the races will be streamed live at DRF.com. The Jackpot is part of an all-stakes pick four that will run on races 4-7 and have a minimum guaranteed pool of $200,000.McPeek also will be active on the undercard with probable favorites in both the $75,000 Sams Town and the $75,000 Orleans. He has The Truth Or Else set to run in the Sams Town, a seven-furlong race, and Kathballu in its sister race for fillies and mares, the Orleans.The Truth Or Else enters off a win in a $100,000 optional-claiming sprint Oct. 23 at Keeneland, while Kathballu was fourth last out in the Grade 2 Chilukki at Churchill. Both will be ridden by Julien Leparoux.* Giannas Dream, who has won back-to-back Oklahoma-bred stakes at Remington Park, might run in the Claiming Crown Dec. 3 at Gulfstream, trainer Mike Maker said. Giannas Dream, who is based in Kentucky, races for Jordan Wycoff. She won the $118,000 Oklahoma Classics Distaff Turf on Oct. 21 and the $50,000 Bob Barry Memorial over the turf at Remington.* Artistic License, who has won her last six starts, including the $75,000 River Cities on turf in September at Louisiana Downs, will be considered for the Claiming Crown, trainer Bret Calhoun said. ' ' '