Allenby moves to bury Ogilvy spat

Updated December 12, 2011 23:34:53

Geoff Ogilvy says he is yet to talk to fellow Australian golfer Robert Allenby after their ugly spat that followed the Internationals' Presidents Cup loss.

In Melbourne for the Australian Masters at Victoria Golf Club, Ogilvy says it could be interesting if they are paired together when the tournament gets underway on Thursday.

The 2006 US Open champion and Allenby exchanged heated words in public after the Australian PGA's final round at Coolum last month.

It came after Allenby's comments that his Presidents Cup playing partners, including Ogilvy, were partly responsible for him finishing pointless at Royal Melbourne earlier in the month.

"I haven't spoken to Robert," Ogilvy said.

"He left a message on my phone when it was off last night saying he wants to bury the hatchet."

Ogilvy says he never had an issue with Allenby, just with what he said, and that they are still good friends.

He feels the gallery at Victoria could get involved if they played together.

"It could be quite interesting [if we're playing together]," Ogilvy said.

"If think we'd be professionals and work it out pretty quickly but we might get a few in the gallery that will try to entice us a little bit. It might be quite fun."

AAP

Tags: golf, sport, melbourne-3000

First posted December 12, 2011 13:59:25

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Ogilvy levels record to take Masters lead

Updated December 17, 2011 23:29:56

A rampaging Geoff Ogilvy set his home course alight by shooting a record-equalling 63 to take a two-stroke lead over Britain's Ian Poulter heading into the final round of the Australian Masters.

Former US Open champion Ogilvy, a long-time member of the tournament's Victoria Golf Club venue, put on a clinic of iron play and putting on a windy afternoon as he charged past overnight leader Poulter to move to a 13-under total of 200.

"Obviously, I'm very comfortable out here on this golf course. I've probably played here more than I've played any other course in the world," Ogilvy told reporters.

"It's fun to come back to Melbourne always ... especially to play here."

Britain's hopes of a win Down Under lie firmly on Poulter's shoulders, with world number one Luke Donald eight strokes behind after a third successive day of toil on the greens.

Donald, the joint US PGA and European Tour money list winner, carded a 2-under 69 and birdied his last hole to give himself the faintest hope of an unlikely victory on Sunday.

But the day belonged firmly to the moustachioed Ogilvy, nicknaed Mogilvy on Twitter, as he tore through the front nine in 29 and tapped in his ninth birdie on the par-five 18th to equal the sandbelt course's record.

Bursting out of the blocks with an eagle and two birdies in his first three holes, Ogilvy threatened to obliterate the mark after reaching 8-under with a 30-metre chip-in for birdie at the par-four 12th, but marred his round with bogeys at 13 and 16.

"All in all, I left a couple out there but I stole a couple, especially on 12, so I'm pretty happy with that," the 34-year-old added.

The Australian stands on the brink of a drought-breaking victory after a frustrating, winless year on the US Tour that was marred by a succession of injuries.

Poulter, who battled food poisoning on Friday, is outright second after carding a 2-under 69, with Australians Nathan Green and Ashley Hall in joint third place, two strokes further adrift.

While Poulter managed to shrug off the nausea during his fighting third round, the Briton was unable to master the gusty winds that buffeted Victoria in the afternoon.

"It was awkward. Got off to a great start, two birdies on the first two holes and then the next four holes had four completely different wind directions," said Poulter, dressed in uncharacteristically sober matching whites.

"Hats off to Geoff for going in actually 8-under par in that wind today, that's a great score. When someone posts a course record on Saturday they generally move forward.

"Geoff's done that and I'll be chasing him down tomorrow."

Reuters

Tags: golf, sport, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted December 17, 2011 17:55:04

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Ogilvy mystery illness threatens PGA hopes

Updated August 10, 2011 10:57:14

Geoff Ogilvy is battling a mystery stomach illness which threatens to derail his quest for a second major title at the US PGA Championship.

Ogilvy revealed he was hospitalised briefly last weekend during the World Golf Championships event in Ohio after the ailment wrecked a promising start.

The illness, most likely a parasite issue, and weight loss and lack of energy accompanying it could be of big concern for the already slim Ogilvy at this week's PGA Championship due to soaring temperatures and high humidity in Atlanta.

The 2006 US Open champion is reluctant to make much of it but he has had a dreadful run of physical problems this year, his 10-week stomach battle following a finger cut which sidelined him in January and a shoulder injury which forced him out in May.

"I don't like to blame it but I've had a bizarre situation going on with my stomach for two-and-a-half months," Ogilvy said.

"It's an unknown thing - I have had all of the tests and they are so far inconclusive but hopefully it's nothing long term.

"I have been on antibiotics four times since Memphis (June 9-12). It's probably something I picked up along the way - a parasite or something but it's pretty annoying."

The illness came to a head last week at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational, scuppering any chance he had of contending and potentially robbing him of vital Presidents Cup ranking points.

Ogilvy, the last Australian to win a major, had charged to within two of the lead midway through his second round before the stomach cramps began.

He dropped four strokes on the final eight holes and then failed to sleep before heading to hospital Saturday morning.

After treatment he returned to shoot a 6-over 76 before fighting back following rest with a 67 to finish tied 37th.

"I didn't sleep at all Friday night and spent time in the hospital Saturday for a little bit," Ogilvy said.

"I'm getting cramps and I'm dropping weight like it's going out of style.

"I am one of the only guys in the world who wants to go out holes on my belt rather than in, my belt has been going the wrong way.

"But I have been able to function the whole time - I haven't been caught on the fairway thinking 'where's the port-a-potty' but I have had some rough mornings and nights.

"I just feel malaise - generally flat."

Despite the illness Ogilvy is hopeful of contending in the season's final major where he has three top-10 finishes and made seven of eight cuts, missing out for the first time last year.

"The heat isn't going to help me this week but it wasn't that long ago I was contending and last week I had 19 birdies at Firestone which shows I'm not far away.

"There is no reason why I can't contend - the PGA has always been a decent tourney for me."

AAP

Tags: golf, sport, united-states, australia

First posted August 10, 2011 10:57:14

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Ogilvy withdraws with shoulder injury

Posted May 14, 2011 07:05:00

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy has withdrawn from the Players Championship inb Florida due to a shoulder injury.

Ogilvy shot a 3-over-par round of 75 and 38 on the back nine in the second round before pulling out.

The 2006 US Open winner follows Tiger Woods out of the tournament after he withdrew with knee and Achilles tendon injuries.

"It was just slowly getting worse as I played," Ogilvy said.

"I want to make sure it is right for the majors."

He is expected to be out of action for at least a week.

Defending champion Tim Clark of South Africa also made an early exit from the tournament.

Clark, who also shot a 2-over-par 42 after 10 holes following a 2-over-par 74, was sidelined by a nagging elbow problem that had kept him out of action since last month's Masters.

Earlier this week, Clark had said he was not going to let the injury get in the way of defending his title, but he began to experience pain Thursday night and again Friday morning.

"It has just been getting worse as the day has gone on. There's just no point in staying," said Clark, who hopes to be back in a month or two at full strength.

"It's a long year and I wouldn't want it to end right here, so it's the best move."

-Reuters

Tags: sport, golf, australia, united-states

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Ogilvy in seven-way tie for Texas lead

Posted April 16, 2011 12:12:00

Australian Geoff Ogilvy withstood strong winds to card a level-par 72 and climb into a seven-way tie for the lead after the second round of the Texas Open in San Antonio.

On a difficult day for scoring, Ogilvy posted a three-under total to finish level with Americans Rich Beem (70), Kevin Sutherland (70), Brandt Snedeker (72), Charley Hoffman (73), Brendan Steele (72) and Kevin Chappell (73).

Last year's winner Australian Adam Scott, who tied for second at the Masters on Sunday, returned a 74 to share eighth place at 2-under with Americans Cameron Tringale (71), Matt Every (69) and Dean Wilson (72).

With 48kph gusts sweeping across the course, 2006 US Open champion Ogilvy was happy with his scoring.

"It's a pretty good score," he told reporters after carding five birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey at the par-four 12th.

"I feel like I could have had maybe one or two (shots) better but I definitely could have had quite a lot worse.

"As soon as you miss one, there's a potential disaster on every hole. I'm happy to get out of it with no damage done and still looking forward to the weekend."

Scott, who mixed two birdies with four bogeys, felt the challenge of the gusting winds became even more daunting because of the tricky pin positions for the second round.

"The pin spots were very hard to get near, so easy mistakes to be made," he said.

"This course is very difficult around the greens anyway and when that bit of control that you do have is taken away, it's magnified by the severity of these greens."

Americans Stewart Cink and JJ Henry, who set the first-round pace with opening 67s, both slid backwards with matching 78s.

"I don't know if this course is ready for a big old north wind like that," said Cink after recording two birdies, five bogeys and a triple at the par-four ninth.

"There's not a lot of room to play out there.

"If you're driving the ball straight, you can play good. You get a little bit off with the wind - and I was in the rocks and trees probably six, seven times today. It adds up in a hurry."

Only 13 players broke par in Friday's second round compared to 50 in the relatively calm conditions of Thursday.

The scoring average for the day was 75.289, the highest on the PGA Tour since the first round of the 2008 British Open at Royal Birkdale (75.877).

Seventy-eight players made the cut at four-over 148 with double major winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina, 2003 Masters champion Mike Weir of Canada and American Anthony Kim among those failing to advance.

- Reuters

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