By Mark Lamport-Stokes
AKRON, Ohio (Reuters) - Adam Scott is optimistic that he can persuade his caddie Steve Williams to continue working for him well into next year, even though their second stint together is due to end after next week's PGA Championship.
The pair reunited in June after former world number one Scott abruptly dumped Mike Kerr after just 10 tournaments together.
The move immediately helped reignite Scott's game as he tied for fourth at the U.S. Open and finished joint 10th at last month's British Open after leading deep into the final round, before missing an 18-inch putt at the 15th hole.
"Nothing really is confirmed," Australian Scott told Reuters after carding a two-over-par 72 in the opening round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Thursday.
"We've kind of just left it at next week and we are going to work on what events Steve can do after that.
"Obviously he had some commitments already before coming back out that he's had to move and he wants to honour them as well, so plans are still up in the air."
Scott and New Zealander Williams initially worked together for more than three years, their crowning achievement coming with victory at the 2013 Masters, before they parted ways in September last year.
WORKING PART-TIME
Williams, who caddied for Tiger Woods in 13 of the American's 14 major wins, had told Scott that he did not want to continue full-time.
Scott at the time said that having Williams as a part-time caddie was not an acceptable situation, though he changed his mind only months later.
"My hope is that Steve will caddie as many weeks as possible for the rest of this year and beyond but certainly it's not going to be a full-time gig for him," said Scott. "He's the first to say that, and that's fine.
"I am not exactly sure yet who's going to do the other stuff and what events they're going to be because we haven't even made those plans."
Whether or not Scott has Williams on his bag in August next year, he has not backed down from his previous comments that he considers Olympic golf to be an "exhibition" sport.
Scott is not making a priority of the sport's return to the Games that month after an absence of more than a century.
"I haven't really looked too closely at next year's schedule yet but my feelings are still the same," said Scott, who told Reuters in May the focus of the Olympics should be on sports where winning a gold medal is the pinnacle, not an afterthought.
"The Olympics isn't something I am prioritising for my schedule. If it does fit in with where my game is at the time of whenever you have to commit, then there's certainly a possibility that I will play."
The 2016 Olympic men's golf in Rio de Janeiro will be held from Aug 11-14. To accommodate that, the year's final major, the PGA Championship, has been moved to late July from its traditional date in the second week of August.
"I am focused on winning majors and trying to get that done," said Scott, who does not particularly like the Olympic golf format of 72-hole strokeplay.