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Adam Scott is ready to hit the ground running as he ramps up his Masters title defence.
World No 2 Scott tees off among a high-class field at the Honda Classic in Florida on Friday, fresh and reinvigorated after a six-week break from tournament golf and with six weeks to go before his return to Augusta National.
Scott changed the timing of his break because of his hectic home summer schedule, when he won the Australian PGA and Australian Masters and teamed with Jason Day to win the World Cup, before he was pipped by Rory McIlroy at the Australian Open.
His lead-up to his 2013 Masters triumph included playing in Los Angeles and the WGC Match Play Championship, events he's skipped this time around but this week's tournament is an addition to perhaps blow out any cobwebs.
"I'm not worried about the change. I don't really see that as being a problem at all," Scott said.
"I've played fairly recently in Hawaii, six weeks ago, so my break is a little bit shorter actually than I had last year, but I've been on the course the last three weeks playing and spent last week getting myself to where I want to be.
"Yeah, I haven't been competitive but I've certainly been working on all areas of the game, so I'm hoping that there's not going to be too much rust."
Scott will play three of the next four weeks, adding the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship next week and Arnold Palmer Invitational in mid-March before he shuts down until the Masters begins on April 10.
"I've thought about it all carefully, and I'm trying to make the best decisions I can so that I'm certainly in the best shape I can for defending the Masters, but also play this week," Scott said.
"This is when my preparation and lead-up to Augusta starts as I get myself in shape to come and defend.
"There is still a lot of work to be done and I will see where I'm at competitively this week.
"I think things are feeling pretty good at home on the range but that's a totally different story than when you're out competing on the tour."
World No 1 Tiger Woods will also return to action this week, as do Australians Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Steven Bowditch, Greg Chalmers, Matt Jones, John Senden and Geoff Ogilvy. - AAP