SINGAPORE -- After a season blighted by injury and illness, Adam Scott is hoping for a return to form when he tees off Thursday attempting to win the $5 million Barclays Singapore Open title for a third time in four years.

The former world No. 3 has slipped to 17th in the rankings but is on the comeback trail after finishing sixth at last week's HSBC Champions in Shanghai -- his first event in eight weeks.

And with victories at the Sentosa Golf Club in 2005 and 2006, the Australian is hoping for more good fortune at Asia's richest national Open this week.

"It certainly has been a happy hunting ground for me here," he said. "Whenever you come back to a place you play well at, you get good vibes and I am certainly looking to turn my game around a bit at the moment. Coming back here is a good, positive feeling for me.

"From the first year I felt like the course fitted my eye well. I hit a lot of good shots that first year and ever since then I have played here with a lot of confidence," he added. "I have always been treated very well here and it's always a good fun time here."

It has not been the happiest of seasons so far for Scott, who has been sidelined for a large part of the year.

"I have also had some health issues so I made sure I got them sorted out before I played again," he explained. "I had a few bouts of recurring tonsillitis this year which came from being run down a little bit.

"I also broke my hand so haven't practised since the Players Championship. It started showing up in my results," he said. "It was frustrating because I wanted to play but I wasn't prepared how I normally would be."

DRIVEN OUT: Ian Poulter has announced his withdrawal after failing to get a replacement driver in time for Thursday's tee time.

The Englishman had his driver stolen during the HSBC Champions in Shanghai last week and would not have received a replacement before the end of the second round on Friday evening.

As a result, Poulter opted not to play in the richest national Open in Asia.

"I am really gutted. I have been thinking about it for four hours and I have decided to withdraw because my new driver will not arrive on time," said Poulter.

"It is disappointing because I did not come all this way not to play," he explained. "But with so many world ranking points at stake, if I played badly I may have lost ground."

REFRESHER COURSE: Phil Mickelson didn't waste any time making a few tweaks to his swing after losing second place to Sergio Garcia in the world rankings.

Mickelson said he got a refresher course from swing coach Butch Harmon before heading to Sentosa Golf Club.

"I was just on the phone with him before we got here, just making little tweaks because driving the ball here in Sentosa is a real test," Mickelson said. "There are tight fairways, a lot of water, a lot of penalties for poorly struck shots."

Garcia won the HSBC Champions in Shanghai on Monday, moving the Spaniard past Mickelson and into second place behind Tiger Woods in the world rankings.

A couple of swing adjustments aren't the only thing Mickelson is bringing to Singapore. He'll also have along a new putter when he challenges a field that includes the likes of Ernie Els, Padraig Harrington, and K.J. Choi for the tournament's $792,500 top prize.

"I brought a putter with a little bit more loft," Mickelson said. "The greens are very difficult and grainy. That will be the biggest challenge."

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