A funny thing happened with Adam Scott on the road to the Tour Championship at East Lake: As his stature rose, so did his sheepishness.

The young Australian started 2006 ranked No. 9 in the world. By the time he showed up in Atlanta for the season-ending Tour Championship, he was already up to No. 4.

The only trophy he had to show for the year, however, was from an Asian Tour event in Singapore.

"It's a little strange, really," Scott said after winning at East Lake. "I mean, it's nice. If I was ending the year without a win (on the PGA Tour), I really don't feel like (No. 4). You can't be that No. 3 or 4 player in the world without winning tournaments. That shouldn't happen. You know, I feel more comfortable in that position seeing I've won an event."

Scott, 26, is starting to get comfortable with being considered one of the best golfers in the world. He's won four times on the PGA Tour - including the elite Players Championship. He's won seven other times around the world.

Though he's beaten world-class fields in significant events, Scott hasn't really contended in 23 starts in major championships. He's focused on changing that.

"I think last year, I felt for the first time I was really capable of winning a major," Scott said. "This year, even more so. And I've really planned my schedule around being prepared for a major. I think preparation is the most important thing for me now going into majors, just doing all of the right things leading up to it. So it's just a matter of executing on the week."

To that end, Scott has taken an unusually light path leading up to the Masters. After opening the year with a runner-up finish in Kapalua, Hawaii, Scott took a six-week break. Then he played consecutive weeks in Los Angeles, the WGC-Match Play in Arizona and an Asian Tour event in Thailand. He skipped three more weeks in Florida before fitting in the World Golf Championship event at Doral and Houston immediately before coming to Augusta.

"I feel in the past my preparation has not been totally geared towards the majors," he said after his stretch in February. "I've worried about every other event leading up to it and wanting to play my best there as well, which I still do. ... I'm just getting back into it, and I'm getting started on my run for Augusta. So it would be nice to play well leading into it, but I'm certainly gearing up more for majors this year."

Great things are expected of an Australian player trying to follow in the footsteps of two-time major winner and former world No. 1 Greg Norman. Along with reigning U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Scott leads a stellar cast of Australians that runs deeper than ever before.

"I don't think I've lived up to Greg Norman's shoes just yet or filled his shoes just yet," Scott said. "I've got a long way to go. I'm still early in my career. I think with Geoff winning a major and being a top-10 player in the world and me up there and Robert (Allenby) and Stuart (Appleby) being prominent players in world golf all the time, I think that we're in a position strong enough that we can carry the game in Australia now and it doesn't all rest on Greg's shoulders as it has for 25 years.

''There's a bunch of us down there who are world-class players that can take the game on from where Greg left it."

Scott has taken on the task of being a globe-trotting player rather than settling down on one circuit. Last year he played 27 events on four different world tours.

"I think being a world golfer like Retief (Goosen) or Ernie (Els) are, and guys in the past have been certainly, provide you with a lot more challenges," Scott said. "And I think you gain benefits from adverse conditions. ... And just having a little experience in these conditions could pay off at the end of the year in a major championship."

Scott has made the cut in each of the past 10 majors - a streak exceeded only by Phil Mickelson's 29. But most importantly for Scott was his showing in the past two, where he finished tied for eighth in the British Open and third in the PGA. He never really challenged eventual winner Tiger Woods in either, but it was progress.

"My last two majors were really positive signs for me, and I'm happy with that," Scott said. "But I think just this consistent play will get me there in a major. I'm starting to feel more like they're just any other event, which I think is something it took me a while to get over that whole 'major' thing. I played too defensive for too many years in majors and didn't trust my game, and my results at the Open and the PGA were positive."

Backing those results up with a win in the Tour Championship - even if the field didn't include Woods or Mickelson - was another positive step.

"I think it's an important win," he said. "Not only is it a big event for the PGA Tour but it's been a while since I've won an event in the states. I want to get in the habit of winning them a little more frequently. Hopefully this is a start."

Where Scott goes from his perch at No. 4 is much harder. Like everyone else, he has his sights set on overtaking Woods.

"It might take a while, but I think if I was to be No. 1 in the world at some point in my career, then I think that would be maybe the best achievement I could ever do in golf is get past Tiger Woods," he said.

Reach Scott Michaux at (706) 823-3219 or scott.michaux@augustachronicle.com.