Date: December 09, 2008
Author: Adam Lucius

Ogilvy eyes Open win

Australia&aposs leading golfer Geoff Ogilvy admits his stellar career will remain unfulfilled if he fails to capture the Australian Open crown. The 2006 US Open winner, who took out last weekend&aposs PGA Championship at Coolum, is desperate to add the national title to his growing list of honours. He came close two years ago finishing one shot behind winner John Senden and returns to the scene of that near miss this week when the 2008 Australian Open tees off at the testing Royal Sydney course. “If I went the rest of my life not winning one I d be disappointed,” Ogilvy said of the Australian Open title. “If I win one I&aposd be pretty happy.” Asked where the Open stood in his reckoning, Ogilvy replied: “The biggest tournaments in the world and the most prestigious ones are the historic ones.” “They are all special (but) the Open and the PGA probably stand above the (Australian) Masters because they are both a hundred years&apos old.” “National opens always get the slight nod. I&aposve got one now (the PGA) and hopefully I can get the other one.” Royal Sydney has changed little since Ogilvy&aposs last visit, with the famous Rose Bay layout challenging every aspect of each player&aposs game The world No.11 says the trick to taming the windswept course is to &aposplay it semi-smart&apos. “There are lot of times to be aggressive and a lot of holes to be conservative,” Ogilvy explained. “It can vary depending on the wind. It can change quite a lot.” “Tee shot strategy is quite important because there&aposs a lot of stuff quite easy to avoid if you play smart.” And smart sums up Ogilvy&aposs approach to golf these days. Gone are the days when he would hit the driving range until sundown to correct perceived flaws in his game. Quality now reigns overs quantity. “I think I&aposve worked how to practise and prepare for a tournament,” he declared. “I&aposve been a pro since the start of &apos99 and you just gradually learn stuff.” “I used to, without fail, go to the range after every singe round because I thought that&aposs what you were supposed to do when you were a pro.” “After a while I realised that was counter-productive.” “Golf is always a work in progress. I think that&aposs why we all play.” “If you mastered it, it would be boring.” “It&aposs fun trying to work yourself out. The game doesn’t change the only thing in the game that changes is the player who&aposs playing it.” Now rated his country&aposs top golfer, Ogilvy eschews rankings in favour of tournaments wins. “I just want to play well in the four obvious majors and you can throw the Players&apos Championship in,” he said. “I want to win big golf tournaments. If I win my fair share of big golf tournaments and the Australian who gets ranked in front of me because he wins more big tournaments, that doesn’t worry me.” “It&aposs nice to be up there with the best Australians but I&aposm not that obsessed with rankings.”