In those last 12 months Scott has progressed not only as a golfer but as a person.
The self-doubt was banished and he began to believe in himself more, not allowing similar hiccups to get in the way of his ultimate target of a major triumph.
"I just didn't play smart enough or well enough for that matter," he said of his previous major attempts prior to Lytham.
"My confidence was too easily affected by a poor shot or a poor hole and was a bit too fragile probably.
"Part of the preparation and the way you get ready protects you from being fragile so I feel like I'm doing all of these things better.
"A couple of little things learned at Lytham I was able to use physically on the course and it paid off at Augusta.
"You've just got to put those pieces of the puzzle together and then keep going and believe that it's going to happen.
"I think overall the biggest difference for me is the last couple of years I've had a real belief in my ability that I can win big tournaments.
"Golf is a very fine line. The difference between winning and not for the last couple years for me has been balancing on a knife's edge, really.
"I felt last year like I could have won three of the majors with pivotal moments going my way or not, and I didn't win any of them. Then you do at Augusta.
"I hope I contend in a lot more majors and I'm hopeful to win some more."
Prior to last summer Scott had recorded just one top-10 Open finish in 12 attempts, missing the cut four times.
But since the 2001 US PGA Championship he has finished outside the top 15 just once in seven attempts and that was at last month's brutal US Open at Merion.
His last visit to Muirfield in 2002 saw him fail to make the weekend after a second-round 68 could not rectify the damage of an opening 77.
Scott will return later this month believing he can win the Claret Jug with a confidence born on the Lytham links.
