Clubhouse Leader Geoff Ogilvy said the opportunity to join some of the illustrious names on the Stonehaven Cup will be a driving force as he closes in on his maiden Australian Open crown. Ogilvy will take a commanding-five shot lead into Sunday&aposs final round after producing an eye-catching five-under 67 on Saturday in ideal scoring conditions at The Lakes Golf Club. It would take an incredible low-score from one of the chasing pack or an almighty collapse from the Victorian to deny him the title. 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.” “It would be a nice one to get on, especially at The Lakes.” “Some decent players have won golf tournament at The Lakes and it would be nice to get on there.” 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&aposm finished and you look back you&aposd be prouder of an Australian Open than you would be of a WGC,” Ogilvy said. “The longer it goes the more Australian open will mean to you.” “In the short term winning WGC events will do a lot for your career.” “They&aposre big exemptions, they&aposre big money, they&aposre big world ranking points, they&aposre big a lot of stuff in the short term but in the longer term the more the Australian open would mean.” “It would be right up there.” Ogilvy began Saturday&aposs third round with a narrow one-shot lead over playing partner Matt Jones but surged out of the blocks with three front-nine birdies to hold a three-shot cushion at the turn. He continued his momentum on the back nine, posting birdies at the 11th, 12th and 14th before his only blemish at the par-three 18th. Ogilvy skewed his tee shot off to the right, before two-putting for his bogey. Despite a flawless round prior to his last-hole blip, Ogilvy still rushed to the practice range immediately after his round to iron out any chinks in his game before his final push for the title. “I would normally not rush to the range but it was left-right wind which is the same direction the 18th goes and whilst the feeling of that golf swing was in my head I wanted to go and get it out of my head straight way,” he said. “Even if you shoot 59 and bogeyed the last you wouldn t be very happy.” “It&aposs never nice to bogey any hole but especially the last.” “I wanted to hit a few similar type shots on the range and get it out of my system so I can go to bed not thinking about locking five irons in left to right winds.” With such a healthy lead heading into the last round, Ogilvy admitted it would be hard not to think about holding the Stonehaven Cup aloft on Sunday afternoon but doesn&apost see it as a problem. “It would be abnormal not to do that,” he said. “It is between rounds when golf tournaments are difficult but once you&aposre playing you just get on with it, It&aposs just golf again.” “I&aposm sure I&aposll sleep OK tonight. I&aposm sure I&aposll think about it a couple times, that&aposs only human. But I&aposll come out tomorrow and try and play well again.”
Author: John Greco, Sportal