No Title For Ogilvy At PGA Championship

U.S. Open Champion Contends, Ends With Top-10 Finish

August 20, 2006

By Dan O'Neill

Medinah, Ill. - It wasn't a victorious week for the U.S. Open champ, no second major to add to the cache. But it was eventful and it all seemed to catch up with Geoff Ogilvy on Sunday at the PGA Championship.

Geoff Ogilvy, pictured during the fourth round at this year's U.S. Open, found himself in second at one point before fading Sunday at the PGA Championship. (USGA Photo Archives)

In position to make a sneak attack at Medinah Country Club, not unlike what he did at Winged Foot, Ogilvy could never muster a charge. A birdie on the first hole proved to be a little more than a tease as the 29 year old pulled into the barn with a 74 on Sunday and tied for ninth.

Still, the week was not without substance, moments that reinforced the notion that Ogilvy has arrived as one of the elite players in the game, episodes that might prime the pump for bigger things to come.

To begin with, there was the tournament within the tournament, the three-ring circus that put him in the same threesome with Tiger Woods and over the first two days. With all the attention on the world's No.1- and No. 2-ranked players, Ogilvy seemed to represent little more than an imbedded golfer.

But the Australian more than held his own, shooting scores of 69-68, tying Woods for medalist honors, soaking up every ounce of knowledge.

"It can only help in the future, whether you play well or badly in a group like that," Ogilvy said. "Experience-wise, a lot of guys would kill for experience like that. I'm pretty fortunate that I get to play two days with those guys.

"One, you learn a lot by watching them play, and two, you learn a lot how to deal with all the stuff that goes on in their world. Their world is a bit different from my world."

Not quite as different as it once was. Ogilvy's world now includes a major championship title. Ogilvy's world is not nearly as tempestuous as it once was. To emulate the likes of Woods and Mickelson, Ogilvy is learning to control his emotions, handle adversity, keep on keepin' on.

This new-found maturity was evident on Saturday when Ogilvy started his round with a double bogey, missing a short putt in the process. In the past, that would have been enough to demoralize him. But, as he did at Winged Foot, as he did through 36 holes with Woods and Mickelson, Ogilvy stayed the course. He rallied to shoot a 68 on Saturday and climb to within three shots of the lead.

"I might not have fallen apart and scored in the 100s (in the past)," Ogilvy said, "but I don't know if I would have come back as well as I did. In a major, that's a pretty disappointing thing. You sit there all night thinking you're in contention. You come out and watch guys firing birdies all over the place and then you drop two shots in the first hole."

Ogilvy suffered another devastating double on Sunday. He followed his opening-hole birdie with a bogey and a double bogey, dropping three strokes in two holes. But again, he managed to hold it together, shooting even par from that point in.

"I just try to look (at mistakes) objectively now rather than subjectively," he said.

To be certain, Ogilvy was disappointed in the end. He had hoped to put some pressure on the leaders - specifically Woods. He hoped that a low score and the law of averages would catch up with his early-week playing partner.

Neither happened. Woods ran his record to 12 for 12 when he has the lead, or share of it going into the final round of a major.

"At some point, he's not going to win one when he's leading," Ogilvy said. "You know, he's not going to go his whole career, hopefully, leading after three rounds and winning. I want to be there, in position, when that happens."

The operative word is "hopefully."

For his part, Ogilvy now has more hope than ever that he has both the game and the mental makeup to win more majors.

is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on USGA championship Web sites.