Geoff Ogilvy is often left out when people talk about the current giants of the game. But he still keeps reminding us that he is out there and capable of competing, and beating, the best.
His second Accenture World Match Play title, after he defeated England’s Paul Casey four and three in the final, is proof of that. While the early hype in Arizona surrounded the comeback of Tiger Woods, Ogilvy quietly went about his way.
Woods defeated Brendan Jones and then lost to Tim Clark. Ogilvy was unnoticed as he accounted for Kevin Suntherland and Shingo Katayama.
Once Woods disappeared, the focus turned to Northern Ireland’s rising star Rory McIlroy, who knocked out Woods’ conqueror.
Former US Open champion Ogilvy, meanwhile, overcame Colombian heavyweight Camilo Villegas two and one to set him up for a last eight showdown with McIlroy.
He ended McIroy’s hopes with a two and one win and then disposed of Stewart Cink four and two before his convicing triumph against Casey, who lives near to the Aussie in Arizona.
It was Ogilvy’s second Match Play title and third World Golf Championship victory. In the end, his praise was not for himself but reserved for the vanquished McIlroy. He said in a Telegraph article:
“The whole weekend I played fantastic. I had to play that well to beat Rory who’s going to be one of the very best in the world.â€
It was left to his final opponent Casey to succinctly give the Australian his due. Casey, who watched world number four Ogilvy play the 33 holes of the final in 12 under with one eagle and 10 birdies, said:
“I threw him a lot and he didn’t flinch. Very impressive.â€
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in Indonesia, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee set a record for most wins on the Asian Tour after he triumphed at the Indonesian Open in the resort city of Bali.
Thongchai won his 11th title on the Asian Tour and at the same time collected his first European Tour victory in four years. The tournament is co-sanctioned by both tours.
The world’s 88th-ranked player shot a final round of three-under-par 69 for a total of 12-under 276, which gave him a two-stroke victory over England’s Simon Dyson and Steve Webster and Sweden’s Alexander Noren.
Dyson closed with 69 while Webster finished with 68 and Noren had to settle for 70 as they failed to catch the overnight leader, who was an army paratrooper before he took up golf.
Thongchai’s $207,742 winner’s cheque takes him to second place on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, behind American Anthony Kang, who won the Malaysian Open.
Not far from Bali, in Thongchai’s home country, Mexico’s Lorena Ochoa made her debut for 2009 and promptly emerged as champion.
Ochoa, the world’s number one player won the LPGA Thailand tournament at the Siam Country Club in Pattaya.
She closed with a 66 for a total of 14-under-par 274 for a three-stroke victory over Park Hee-young and the 25th Tour title of her career.
Paula Creamer, the joint leader with Ochoa after the second round, finished on 73 to finish third on 10 under, four strokes behind the winner.
:lol:fair play to jeff, great win for him,my heart was set on a victory for rory.maybe next time.
I like Ogilvy a lot. He has a big-time game without any swagger. A very cool player who should be a solid contender in the majors.