Australian Senior Golfer

Ogilvy says he'll be "super excited and back to my peak" for the Masters

IT’S JUST three weeks out from the 2012 US Masters and things are starting to get serious on the US PGA Tour.

Ten Aussies line up for the 2012 Transitions Championship at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, this week with just three of those – Jason Day, Geoff Ogilvy and John Senden – already guaranteed a start at Augusta National.

For the other seven there are only two available pathways remaining to Magnolia Lane.

They either need to win the Transitions this weekend, the Arnold Palmer Invitational next week or the Shell Houston Open the week immediately preceding the Masters; or they need to do well enough over the next three weeks to be in the top 50 in the official golf world rankings the week before Augusta.

The seven playing this weekend hoping for one of those results are Marc Leishman, Greg Chalmers, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Nick O’Hern, Matt Jones and Rod Pampling.

Getting into the top 50 will obviously be most viable for Chalmers, currently 59th, and Allenby, 64th. The only other Australian golfer currently in the top 100 is Marcus Fraser at 93rd.

There are currently six Aussie golfers in the Masters field with the three mentioned above joined by Aaron Baddeley, Adam Scott and young amateur Bryden Macpherson, in thanks to his British Amateur Championship win.

Day, Ogilvy and Senden will be hoping for good performances this weekend in the lead up to their Masters appearances.

Last year’s Masters joint runnerup Day is the top ranked at world No.7 while Senden is enjoying a career-high ranking of 28.

Ogilvy has had a very slow start to his year compared to his usual standard and sitting currently in 50th spot in the world rankings would really be sweating it out were it not for the fact his Masters and other performances last year guarantee him a place in all the Majors in 2012.

As golf writer Ben Everill has pointed out over at smh.com.au, Ogilvy hasn’t gone this far into a season without at least one top ten since 2004.

But Ogilvy apparently isn’t too phased, telling Everill he has been suffering a bit of a “hangover” from playing tournaments virtually right up until Christmas last year and believes his game is actually in pretty good shape.

“There’s no panic button,” Ogilvy said this week in Florida. “I actually kind of like how I’m playing. I know it’s a standard cliched answer but my scores aren’t really reflecting how I’m playing. My game has been getting better each time I’ve played and, while it’s not excellent, it is almost pretty good.”

The upcoming Masters should be all the incentive the 2006 US Open winner needs.

“After I came back from my shoulder and stomach problems [last year], I probably panicked a bit and played too much and then I played really deep into the year and the Presidents Cup in your home city takes more out of you than you think,” he said. “I played right up to Christmas almost and I need to dig deep to light the fire again.

“But I feel refreshed again now … and I’m sure by the time the Masters comes round, I’ll be super excited and back to my peak.”

Some of the other contenders at the Transitions this week include Luke Donald, Doral winner Justin Rose, reigning Masters champion Charl Swartzel, world No.6 Webb Simpson and Brandt Snedeker.

The 2012 Transitions Championship is being broadcast live in Australia on Fox Sports beginning Friday morning from 6 to 9.

The 2012 Transitions Championship Leaderboard

Scott will again use Williams as caddy

JUST two weeks out from the 2011 British Open some of Australia’s top golfers will be using the AT&T National in Pennsylvania this week to get their games back on track.

Twelve Aussie goflers will line up for the US PGA Tour event including Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby, Michael Sim, Marc Leishman, Steven Bowditch, Matt Jones, Greg Chalmers, Nick O’Hern, Stuart Appleby, Rod Pampling and Steve Elkington.

Scott will once again be using Tiger Woods caddy Steve Williams on his bag and with the American former world No.1 likely to miss the Open due to his ongoing injuries the pairing may be rehearsing for a joint showing at Royal St George’s from July 10.

Ogilvy and Allenby are two Open contenders who in particular have had disrupted schedules of late.

Ogilvy usually skips the AT&T but has already missed big chunks of the year firstly with a cut finger then of late with a shoulder strain.

“I’ve effectively had an off-season between the Masters and the US Open so I just need to get my schedule a little more fluid,” Ogilvy said this week.

“Generally I take this time off but the injury has changed things for me. Getting another tournament under my belt on a tough and good golf course will hopefully get me a little closer to real form in the lead up to the quality events to come.”

Allenby has been going through off-course personal issues and is not only looking to an improved showing in the coming two majors but also wants to shore up a spot in Greg Norman’s Presidents Cup team.

“I don’t want to be relying on a captain’s pick,” he said.

“I’m feeling a lot better after having a week at home and sorting some things out. I’m looking forward to playing some really good golf over the next two months to be sure I’m in the team. It’s a main goal of mine definitely.”

The 2011 AT&T National Golf Championship will be played at the Aronimink Golf Club and will be televised live in Australia on Fox Sports.

Live TV Times:

Ist Round : Friday 5 – 8am; 2^nd Round: Saturday 5 – 8am; 3^rd Round: Sunday 3 – 4.30am,  5 – 8am; Final Round: Monday 3 – 4.30am, 5 – 8 am.

Other Fox Sports live and delayed telecast golf this week include the Open De France from  the European PGA Tour and the US Champions Tour event in Montreal.

2011 AT&T National Live Leaderboard

AUSTRALIA’S golfing heart has once again been broken at the US Masters.

South African Charl Schwartzel snatched the title an Australian has never won with four straight birdies coming home to take the 2011 championship with a final round 66 early today.

Just minutes before, Adam Scott and Jason Day had stood on the 18th congratulating each other as joint clubhouse leaders on 12 under.

Watching them walk up to the 18th and briefly shake hands after both had played exceptional rounds warmed the heart.

There was more pride as 23 year old Day sank a tough downhill putt for birdie to tie Scott on 12 under but there was also a knowing that Scott really needed to sink his birdie putt to have a chance.

When that didn’t happen Schwartzel just needed par to win and his birdie was a fitting climax to a round that began with a chip in birdie on the first and an eagle from the fairway on the second.

He obviously had the momentum and sometimes you just can’t buck history.

50th anniversary of Gary Player victory

The 26 year old ended up donning the green jacket on the 50th anniversary of compatriot Gary Player becoming the first international player (and first South African)to win the Masters.

The final round leader board was acknowledged as one of the most turbulent in the event’s history after four-stroke overnight leader Rory McIlroy imploded on the back to leave the field wide open.

There were at times 10 golfers jockeying to win and twice coming home there were five golfers sharing the lead.

On the second occasion that included three Aussies, Scott, Day and Geoff Ogilvy (67), who posted six straight birdies from the 11th hole on.

Scott took the outright lead on the 14th and was briefly two strokes in front before Schwartzel and then Day rounded him up.

Scott and his broom stick putter were just amazing but the 30 year old Queenlander probably lost the tournament with a wayward second shot from the middle of the fairway on the 17th. He scrambled and made a clutch putt for par but it ruined a great opportunity to get a couple of strokes on Swartzel.

Scott’s putting a revelation

Scott finished with a 67, his second in succession, to be two behind the winner, but if that success with the big putter continues he has a formidable future ahead.

“To be right in the mix is everything I’ve dreamed of. It just didn’t pan out,” Scott said. I’ve got to be pretty proud of the way I played over the weekend. Obviously I can’t control Charl.

“When you birdie the last four holes at the Masters when you’re around the lead, that usually wins. I’m disappointed I didn’t win when I held the lead with a few holes to go. It’s exciting to be in the mix at a major, something I haven’t been able to talk about before.

“It would have made the Masters exciting for [Australian golf fans] to have three guys contending on the back nine on Sunday. It’s been a while.”

Day happy

His playing partner Day (68) had a magnificent first appearance at the Masters and after being joint leader on a number of occasions and losing that spot, held his nerve in a way that his playing partner of the first three rounds – McIlroy, didn’t.

“I couldn’t do any more than what I did today. Adam and I played wonderful golf and Charl played even better golf,” Day said.

“I’ve known Adam since I was 15. We’ve been good mates since then. We had a lot of fun today. “It was really really good to be in the hunt for the Masters.”

McIlroy still held a one-shot lead when he teed off at the 10th but a triple bogey began the decline.

He collapsed to finish with an 80 and equal 15th but for a 21 year old showed remarkable maturity afterwards to acknowledge it was a steep learning experience that will stand him in great stead in the future.

A learning experience for McIlroy  

Tiger Woods also made a big charge and looked ominous with an eagle on the 8th but missed another short putt for eagle on the 15th and remained on 10 under for the rest of the day.

All in all, it was a heart in mouth finish for Australian spectators and despite the ultimate heartache they can take much from the fact that golf down under is in a very good place.

AUSSIES Geoff Ogilvy and Jason Day are through to the third round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship on a day that saw leading golfing lights Lee Westwood, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els hit the road.

Day was particularly impressive downing star match play performer Paul Casey 4 and 2 and he will now meet big hitting American J.B. Holmes.

Casey has been runner up in the last two years of the event but didn’t get a look in after the 23 year old Australian debutante grabbed the lead at the 4th hole.

Both of Day’s matches have ended at the 16th hole and over the two days he has hit 12 birdies and an eagle.

“I was very happy with the way I handled myself,” Day said after his win.

Ogilvy, a two time winner of the event, had to battle all the way to the 18th to beat Thomas Bjorn, the Dane who knocked Tiger Woods out of the first round.

Four times during his match Ogilvy took the lead, making birdies at the 2nd, 5th, 9th and 12th holes but on each occasion Bjorn fought back, doing so for the final time when Ogilvy bogeyed 17.

Ogilvy only needed a par to take the 18th and the match after Bjorn fluffed a chip. He will now meet Bubba Watson in the round of 16.

Star of the day was undoubtedly the teenage clothes horse Rickie Fowler (it was matching lime green cap, short, shoes on the first day and today it was pink).

To use the local vernacular, the 22 year old “smoked” Mickelson 6 and 5 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club at Dove Mountain in the Arizona desert.

With spectacular iron play and deadly putting Fowler hit what would have been 5 birdies and two eagles.

Mickelson could only grin ruefully as he conceded a few footer putt on their last hole (the 13th) that would have been an eagle three for Fowler.

“It was just one of those days. Certainly I got outplayed, that’s obvious,” Michelson said.

In something of a changing of the guard, eight of the 16 players making it through to the third round are under 30.

They are led by 17 year old Italian Matteo Manassero who continued his fairytale run by accounting for world No.25 Charl Schwartzel.

The other “youngsters” include Day, 23, Fowler 22,  Martin Kaymer 26, Hunter Mahan 28, Ryan Moore, 28, J.B. Holmes 28 and Nick Watney 29.

“The young guys, I guess it’s just some of us are playing pretty well this week,” Fowler said. “… I think most of the young guys are pretty fearless. We’re ready to play.”

Australian tv coverage of the Accenture Match Play Championship continues on ONE HD Saturday and Sunday form 6am to 10am.

GEOFF OGILVY will be aiming to make it two in a row when the 2010  Australian PGA Championship tees off on Thursday.

The 33-year-old won his first Australian Open on Sunday by four shots from Alistair Presnell and Matt Jones.

Ogilvy looked at ease over the four days of the tournament at The Lakes in Sydney and will be brim full of confidence facing a hot field full of international talent and previous winners at Coolum.

His major rivals include four-time winner and defending champion Robert Allenby and a rejuvenated Adam Scott who is striking the ball wonderfully but just needs to get his putter on song.

Three-time winner Peter Lonard is also back on home soil from the US this week and will be aiming to finish his year on a high after lots of downtime with health issues.

American John Daly will also be looking for a better result after failing to make the cut in Sydney.

Television coverage

The PGA Championship will be telecast on ONE HD from noon to 5pm Thursday to Sunday and also on TEN Saturday and Sunday.

2010 Australian PGA Championship Leaderboard

A clearly delighted Geoff Ogilvy hoisted the Stonehaven Cup high this afternoon declaring his first Australian Open title was right up there with his big international wins.

“This is the 90 year old trophy, this is the real jewel,” the US Open winner said.

Ogilvy started the day with a five shot buffer and was never headed.

Whenever there seemed a glimmer of hope for the chasing pack, particularly his playing partner, Sydney’s Matt Jones, the opportunity soon evaporated.

Ogilvy, with eight other international career titles including 3 WGC events, finished with a three under par 69 to end the tournament on 19 under.

Jones hung in there for most of the day but in the end never got close enough to put real pressure on the champion.

The defining point probably came on the 184 metre par three 15th when Ogilvy got what he called a “bizarre bounce” and Jones put his tee shot close.

What looked like it could be a two stroke turnaround fizzled when Ogilvy scrambled a par and Jones missed his relative sitter birdie chance.

In the end, Jones (68) and Victorian Alistair Presnell (67) shared second place with 15 under.

“Today was probably the day I struggled most with my game,” Ogilvy said after his round, “but all I had to do was not mess up really.”

Winning a title he has obviously long coveted was a big turnaround in a year that was looking a little short on highlights.
“I won the first week and then play relatively horrible golf all year,” Ogilvy said.
“I didn’t enjoy golf as much this year because how I was playing. But anytime you win an Australian Open you’ll look back and think you’ve had a great year.”

The PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia now moves to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast for the staging of the 2010 Australian PGA Championship.

2010 Australian Open Full Results

GEOFF OGILVY has a coveted Australian Open title almost within his grasp after another accomplished five under par performance in the third round at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney.

The Victorian goes into the 2010 final round on 16 under, five strokes ahead of Matt Jones (71), with Greg Chalmers (66) and Alistair Presnell (67) a further shot back in equal third at 10-under.

Starting the round at 11 under, Ogilvy got off the blocks in perfect fashion with a birdie. There were five more to come but a bogey on the last had him fuming.

Ogilvy blocked a five iron short and right on the 191 metre par 3 and after his chip shot was long two putted for a four.

After a quick television interview, Ogilvy literally ran to the practice range to hit a bucket of balls to get the shot “out of his head.”
“It’s never nice to finish like that no matter what you shoot,” Ogilvy said later.

With the likes of former world no.1 Greg Norman and golfing great Jack Nicklaus as former winners of the event, Ogilvy is desperate to finish the job on Sunday and add his name to a high quality list.

“It would be pretty nice. The Australian open in general has a pretty impressive honour role,” Ogilvy said.

“Everyone whose meant anything to golf or played golf in Australian in the last 50 years has won the tournament.”

Ogilvy, who is the last Australian to win a major at the 2006 US Open, said clinching a breakthrough national championship would rank high up there on his list of achievements, which also includes three prestigious World Golf Championship (WGC) events.

“If you sit down right now those WGC tournaments are more valuable for your career but when I’m finished and you look back you’d be prouder of an Australian Open than you would be of a WGC.”

Ogilvy and Jones will tee off in the final group at 12.40pm.

“I’m sure I’ll sleep OK tonight. I’m sure I’ll think about it [winning the Stonehaven Cup] a couple times, that’s only human. But I’ll come out tomorrow and try and play well again.”

TWO late birdies have helped Geoff Ogilvy to a share of the first-round lead at the $US7.5 million ($A7.85 million) Tour Championship in Atlanta and he retains his outside chance of taking the huge FedEx Cup season ending bonus.

Ogilvy finished on four under on the tough East Lake course along with Englishmen Luke Donald and Paul Casey.

Casey was the only player among the top five in the FedExCup standings to break par, whilst the favourite to take the US$10 million bonus, American Matt Kuchar had a two over 72.

Ogilvy had a shocker on the par five 15th, taking four strokes to hole out from just off the green, but that result seemed to inspire him on.  

“I just played well but it wasn’t anything in particular,” Ogilvy said later.

“I hit my irons well and had quite a lot of (short) putts for birdies and I made all of them, I think. So it was just a tidy round of golf on a course that’s pretty difficult.”

Jason Day, sixth in the FedEx standings, was best of the other Australians in the elite 30-man field, equal sixth on one-under 69, while Robert Allenby had a 71 and Adam Scott 74.

“Two bogeys weren’t the greatest obviously but around this course, with how firm the greens are and how thick the rough is, overall I’m very happy with how I played,” Day said.

His FedEx chances, as do those of Ogilvy and others, depend on how well those currently above him perform.

Allenby resurrected his round with an eagle at the par-five 15th, after his second shot lipped out. (See the PGA highlights video below).

“I’m happy with my score in the end but I didn’t play very well,” Allenby said.

Scott started poorly and never really improved, hitting only four fairways all day.

FOUR Australians have finished in the top eight at the US PGA Tour’s $A8.2 million Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.

Jason Day and Geoff Ogilvy tied for second with Englishman Luke Donald while Adam Scott was tied fifth and John Senden shared eighth.

It was a somewhat disappointing result for overnight leader Day but he was among those blown away by long-haired 33 year old American Charley Hoffman.

Hoffman, ranked 132 in the world before the event, went on a final round birdie spree, racking up 11 in a spectacular nine-under-par 62.

He came from four shots back to win by five strokes with a 22 under 262.

“It was a class act and he never looked like doing anything but winning after about three holes,” his playing partner Ogilvy, who finished with an impressive 66, said.

“It’s going to be pretty hard to beat a guy who has 11 birdies. I had the best seat in the house to watch that.”

Ogilvy will be heartened by his own form whilst Day, who was full of praise for Hoffman’s “unbelievable” round, was disappointed he had not made it a closer contest at the end.

“Overall I’m disappointed with how I played today, but I tied second, I can’t be too angry. I’m just looking forward to next week, and hopefully I can do a little bit better next week,” the rising young Australian star said.

The 22 year old improved to fourth place on the tour’s points list, with two of four FedEx Cup play-off series events completed.

GREG Norman, Adam Scott and Geoff Ogilvy have just been announced as confirmed starters for the 2010 Australian Open.

The famous trio are the first big name players to confirm their participation in the prestigious tournament which will be played at The Lakes in Sydney from December 2 to 5.

For the second successive year the tournament will form the penultimate leg on the OneAsia Tour and offer a purse of US$1.3 million.

Norman has been in Australia in recent days looking after his various interests and here’s hoping there will be no repeat of the shoulder injury that kept him out of the event last year.

Scott is the defending champion and is back in form – touch wood – after winning the Valero Texas Open on the US PGA Tour a couple of weeks back.

Ogilvy didn’t fare too well at the Open last year at the stunning NSW Golf Club but has often expressed his strong desire to win the event.

Scott won his first Australian title claiming the Australian Open by five shots over compatriot Stuart Appleby after a tense final round.

Winning the 2009 Australian Open was one of the great highlights of my career,” Scott said today.

“Having dreamed of that moment since I was a kid it was a wonderful feeling to have Greg Norman hand me the trophy and to see my name next to the greats in golf is something to cherish.
“I’m sure this year’s Open at The Lakes will be another great event and I will be hoping to have the engraver add my name again to the Stonehaven Cup!”.

Scott’s victory in Texas was his seventh on the PGA Tour and came on a course designed by his hero Norman.

Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open champion, is still in search of his first Australian Open and is particularly looking forward to playing The Lakes course.

“As always I am looking forward to our year ending events in Australia,” he said.

“Returning to Sydney for the Australian Open at The Lakes will have special significance for me. The golf course was remodelled by Mike Clayton with whom I am forming a new golf course design company, Ogilvy Clayton Golf Design. Appreciating Mike’s design skills, I am sure the new layout will provide a fitting test for our national Open.”

Two-time Major winner Norman last lifted the Stonehaven Cup in 1996. Shoulder surgery meant he was unable to compete last year but he is excited about the prospect of returning this December.

“I look forward to my return to Sydney and my participation in the 2010 Australian Open at The Lakes. Both The Lakes as a venue and the Australian Open as a tournament are special to me in that they are both an integral part of my career,” the 55-year-old said.

Other star players will be confirmed over the coming months including a wealth of talent from OneAsia which this year boasts 11 events, offering a total of over US$12 million in prize money.

NSW Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay said tens of thousands of spectators were expected to attend the 2010 Australian Open.

“More than 30,000 visitors came for the Australian Open Golf last year, including significant numbers from overseas and interstate.

“Global golf stars like Greg Norman, defending champion Adam Scott and 2006 US Open Champion Geoff Ogilvy will guarantee another great crowd in 2010.”

The Australian Open was first played in 1904 and has been won by the biggest names in the game, including Gary Player with a record seven wins and Jack Nicklaus with six.

Stephen Pitt, Golf Australia CEO, suggests the new Lakes Golf Course design will be a great test for our national Open.

“The Australian Open is one of the most prestigious titles in world golf and fittingly, Norman, Ogilvy and Scott will lead another very strong field. The course at The Lakes will be a great and unique challenge for the players with some demanding holes mixed with some holes that offer scoring opportunities.”