‘I’m not done yet’ vows Aussie major winner Ogilvy at 40
POTOMAC (United States): Australia’s Geoff Ogilvy, a past major winner playing this US PGA season on a career money exemption, vows there’s more good golfing days ahead of him now that he’s 40.
The world number 231 from Adelaide fired a five-under-par 65 Friday to stand among the leaders on eight-under 132 after 36 holes at the National.
“I’m not done yet,” Ogilvy said. “Feel like I’ve got a lot of good golf, so a win would be great. That gets me back to the Masters and effectively a three-year exemption, two and a half years. Yeah, it would be great.”
Ogilvy, the 2006 US Open champion who turned 40 on June 11, also had a 65 in last week’s Travelers Championship. He has had only one lower US PGA round since 2010.
“I didn’t really even think about it,” Ogilvy said of his milestone birthday. “Everyone else thought it was a bigger deal than me. It’s just a number, isn’t it?”
The Aussie seeks his ninth US PGA victory and 13th pro title overall, having last won in 2014 at Reno, Nevada.
Ogilvy didn’t try to qualify for a 13th consecutive US Open this month and hasn’t played a major since last year’s US Open, the last under a 10-year winner’s exemption.
“I wasn’t that sad about it, to be honest with you, but I missed it once I was watching it on TV,” Ogilvy said. “Nice to have a few weeks off at home and get recharged for this.”
Ogilvy, whose last top-10 showings were shares of fourth at last November’s Australian Open and US PGA Las Vegas stop, isn’t qualified for next month’s British Open. But he could make the field at Royal Birkdale with a strong showing this week at TPC Potomac, where four berths are on offer.
Ogilvy stands on the edge of the US PGA money list, where the top 125 book spots on next year’s tour. He’s ranked 123rd with $596,299 after ending 169th last year, prompting him to use a one-time exemption as a top career money winner to play a full tour schedule in 2017 rather than face a playoff fight to return.
“It was a good time to use it,” Ogilvy said. “I figured that’s what it was for. Everyone thinks it’s when you’re 48, 49, just to get ready for the Champions Tour. But I wouldn’t want to play a full season when I’m 48. Now I wanted to play a full season so I took it.”
It’s an all-or-nothing gamble he still has what it takes to do what he loves on his terms.
“I wouldn’t say it’s added pressure, but when you’ve always got it in the bank, the last few years if I lost my card, it didn’t matter. But now I don’t.
“So I guess it’s a bit of a final kind of finality, if that makes sense. It’s a bit more, ‘You only get to do this once so you had better take advantage of it,’ kind of thing.”
Ogilvy was named an assistant Presidents Cup captain by Internationals leader Nick Price, but has hopes of qualifying for the team as a player.
“It would be incredible to play,” Ogilvy said. “It has been sad to kind of miss the last couple. I’ve looked lovingly at the screen when it’s been on, so it was disappointing.
“At least I’ll be there this time. If I can play my way in, that would be even better.” -