KAPALUA, Hawaii (PA) -- Adam Scott admits he learned a lot from a difficult 2008 and is now looking to make 2009 his most successful year yet.

Despite six wins on both the PGA Tour and European Tour -- including victory at the 2004 Players Championship -- the gifted Australian is still viewed by some observers as something of an underachiever.

The lazy swing and laid-back attitude are often interpreted as signs of a lack of intensity and hunger in a player many tipped to challenge Tiger Woods' hegemony of the game. But Scott insists that is not the case and, following an injury- and illness-plagued 2008, is determined to make his mark in 2009's biggest tournaments.

While his recent problems may have seen him slip from a career-high of third to 15th in the world, the Adelaide-born star feels he is now ready to rediscover his best form.

"It (2008) was a good year for me to look back on and learn a lot out of it," Scott explained. "It was the first time in my career that I had really struggled, and it wasn't even really struggling on the course.

"It was more just a bit of a struggle with everything else going on, frustrating injury, illness, some personal stuff, and probably the first time there was a bump in the road for me," he added. "Before that, my career had just cruised along nicely.

"I have high expectations for myself and I think I've done well, but I could have achieved more. But it's all part of the process," he said. "Winning the Players Championship was great but it feels like a lifetime ago now, and it's gone quick.

"You know, that's what I want to feel again. I want to feel that big win. A lot of hard work went into that, and that's what I want to get back in to doing."

Finally clear of the recurring tonsillitis that dogged him over the last 12 months, Scott is still battling to regain full fitness following a freak knee injury, sustained while surfing, that ruled him out of December's Australian Open.

However, although unsure exactly how the problem will respond, he remains confident he is in good enough shape to compete in Maui, where winners from the 2008 PGA Tour season are brought together for the traditional curtain-raiser.

"I'm not really sure how I'm playing," added Scott, who qualifies courtesy of his victory at the HP Byron Nelson Championship last April. "It (the knee) feels pretty good, although I haven't played for a long time. The knee is probably about 90 percent. It's pretty good and obviously good enough to be here."

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