PGA Championship 2013: Adam Scott & Justin Rose Show Poise of Major Champions

In their own ways, but side by side one another, Adam Scott and Justin Rose are showing just how important the experience of winning a first major championship can be to repeating the accomplishment.

Playing in the same group for the first 36 holes of the 2013 PGA Championship, Scott and Rose are a combined 13-under at Oak Hill Country Club and are considerable threats to win their second major of the year this weekend.

Perhaps lost in the shuffle of all the Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy talk, Scott and Rose are displaying the type of confidence, resolve and focus they lacked before breaking through with their first career majors earlier this year.

Scott, who won the 2013 Masters back in April, managed to follow a blistering opening round 65 with a solid two-under 68 to sit at seven-under for the tournament. While the round could have been better, it was a great second act to his opening round and has him well positioned heading into the weekend.

For his part, Rose overcame a sloppy start to his second round to fire a four-under 66 that not only kept the 2013 U.S. Open champion in the mix but placed him just a shot behind Scott near the top of the leaderboard Friday afternoon at six-under.

While in retrospect it shouldn't be at all surprising to see these now-proven major champions in the mix again, it’s a reminder of the immediate difference winning a first major can make in how champion golfers handle both success and adversity.

Before winning his first green jacket, Scott had a history of letting things get away from him in majors. Likewise, Rose spent more than a decade falling short of high expectations in golf’s biggest events.

“Obviously we dream of winning one and now you have the chance to win more, and hopefully track on from here," Rose said following his second round. "I think you are possibly not as desperate going into the last couple of days because you have done it. You also know what to expect and that is the most important thing.”

Scott, who also challenged at the 2013 Open Championship last month, has been the model of consistency at Oak Hill. He’s taking advantage of opportunities as they come, saving strokes when he can and significantly limiting the damage when he can’t.

He’s not reaching for anything that isn't there and therefore is avoiding the type of trouble that hampered Mickelson, the third member of this group the past two days, who sits at two-over.

In other words, the Australian is approaching this PGA Championship like a golfer who knows exactly what it takes to win one of golf’s most demanding events.

“Yeah, it's really pleasing because you know, I've been working really hard to try and get myself in these kinds of positions.  Only halfway there this week, but it's so important to get off to starts,” Scott said following his round. “These are such long, tough weeks that if you can get ahead of the game a little bit, it take as little bit of the pressure off.”

Even more than Scott’s steady resolve, Rose’s gusty turnaround midway through today’s second round shows how different the Englishman is since his victory at Merion Golf Club back in June.

After a bogey on the 18th hole—his third of the day—Rose made the turn at two-over for his round and seven shots behind Scott.

Nine holes later, Rose was six shots under par, within one of his playing partner and looking like a mix between a cat that ate the canary and a boxer who had just survived a championship bout.

“…A day like today is a good learning lesson.  If you have a sticky patch on the weekend, just hang tough and hopefully you'll have your run again.  At no point do we get ahead of ourselves,” Rose said of his second round.

“This is a golf course you have to respect.  It just happened to flow for me today.  I hit the right shots at the right time.  But it's still a tough golf course, still got to give it a lot of respect."

Obviously, with the experience of winning a major they are better positioned to handle the ups and downs that come with golf’s toughest tests. The same can be said of 2012 U.S. Open champ Webb Simpson who followed a poor opening round 72 with a course-record-tying 64 on Friday to vault up the leaderboard.

Luke Donald doesn't have that same major mojo born from victory and it shows. Ditto that for Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia, to name just a few golfers who continue to struggle for that breakthrough major triumph.

Not since 2008 has a golfer won two majors in the same year. Yet with 36 holes left in this PGA Championship both Rose and Scott are positioned to do just that.

One year ago, few would have bet on either one of them. Now, with their proven pedigree in major championships keeping them steady, it would be foolish to bet against either one.

What a difference one victory can make to an entire career.

All quotes acquired through transcripts via ASAP Sports.