LAS VEGAS – Jack Trent makes sure you know he’s not stalking Adam Scott. Sure, like Scott, he’s an Australian from the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Sure, he followed in Scott’s footsteps by playing at the same home course, attending the same school as a kid, and ending up at the same college as the 13-time PGA TOUR winner. Sure, he used to study YouTube videos of Scott’s swing religiously as a youngster and try to replicate the smooth rhythmic moves. And sure he tried to build his golf game, and his demeanor, around his idol. “I’m not a stalker, I swear,â€� the 20-year-old laughed after meeting Scott inside the ropes at TPC Summerlin in the lead up to the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. You see, Trent and Scott having something else in common this week: they’ll both be making their tournament debut. Amazingly, Scott has never played the tournament despite his cameo time at University of Nevada-Las Vegas in the 1999 and 2000 college seasons before he turned pro. Trent, now a junior at UNLV, won the Southern Highlands Collegiate tournament earlier this year to earn a sponsor invite into the field where he will make his PGA TOUR debut. Clearly, Trent was already excited about the prospect of playing on the big stage when, during a gym workout last week, his phone rang. A strange number popped up he didn’t know. He contemplated not answering but then pushed the green button. “Hi. It’s Adam Scott. Is that Jack?â€� Trent heard. “How would you like to play a practice round together at the tournament?â€� After the initial shock wore off, Trent agreed and the pair officially met on Tuesday at TPC Summerlin. “I met him in the lunchroom and it wasn’t like real,â€� a wide-eyed Trent said. “It was pretty cool. I asked for his signature when I was 10 years old, so to be in this position right now feels a little surreal. “He’s really cool and chill and it felt natural. Felt like I had already met him before. We have a few things in common which helps with conversations. I felt really comfortable out there.â€� To be fair it’s more than a few things in common. In fact, Trent’s mother Louise – who proudly watched the entire practice round – recalled countless moments of her young son trying to emulate Scott. Louise even has photos where those who see them – without prompting – speak of how his mannerisms can mirror Scott’s. “When I was a junior we tried to model my swing a little bit off Adam Scott,â€� Trent admits. “Obviously, I have my own identity with it but he does have the prettiest swing in the world so you try to take a few things off it and build it off that. It is probably the best canvass to start off with.â€� Trent took down none other than Cole Hammer, the Texan who has already been at the top of the world amateur rankings, in a playoff to earn his place this week. While those in Nevada who follow junior and college golf weren’t overly surprised with the result, plenty of others were. Especially back in Australia. Truthfully, Trent’s success caught those down under by surprise. But they can be forgiven. Having seen the talent in their son, Trent’s parents packed the family up and moved to Las Vegas when he was 15, a year after he skipped school to watch Scott claim the first Masters title for Australia. The idea was to immerse him in the American high school and college golf system, and as a result Trent was not on the Golf Australia radar as much as others. He came to prominence when he made the final 32 at this year’s U.S. Amateur and an Australian flag popped up on the scoreboards next to his name. Trent would put down his residence in Las Vegas and his country in entry forms but invariably the stars and stripes would be shown next to his name. He tried writing “Las Vegas, Australiaâ€� as his town and was even announced that way at some events, but it wasn’t until this year’s U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst where he made a more formal request of the USGA, and it was granted. “I have always been an under-the-radar type guy but you can only do that for so long if you want to be out here. I am ready to try to elevate my game to the next level,â€� Trent says. “My goals this week are to have four really solid rounds. I think that would be a great week for me. I have a lot of family and friends coming out so I am going to try to soak it up as much as I can.â€� One man who thinks he can do it is Scott. When he heard of Trent and their similarities, he knew the right thing to do was to reach out. And truth be told, given Trent has played many more rounds at TPC Summerlin than Scott, the elder Aussie also learned a few things. “I have stayed in touch with UNLV golf since I left even though I haven’t been back to Vegas very much,â€� Scott said. “Jack’s only 20 years old and if I think back a little bit about all the opportunities UNLV opened for me here in the United States, well here it is doing the same thing for Jack. “Hopefully he is in for a good week. He obviously knows what he’s doing out here on the course. He’s a big strong kid and he has got all the tools and he has years and years ahead of him for his game to mature. There is no reason why he can’t have a good four days out here.â€� It wasn’t long after Scott left UNLV that he became a permanent member on the PGA TOUR, and at 24 he won THE PLAYERS for his second victory. No one is putting that sort or pressure on Trent. But given all the other similarities, keep an eye on the 2023 field at TPC Sawgrass.
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