OGILVY WINS AUSTRALIAN OPEN BY FOUR

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE
Newly-crowned Australian Open champion Geoff Ogilvy admits he fell out of love with golf as his game disintegrated following a great start to the year.
The 2006 US Open champ took out the season-opening PGA event in Hawaii in January before enduring a long form slump that threatened to derail his hopes of a maiden victory at his national championship.
But Ogilvy's comfortable win at The Lakes, Sydney today – he finished 19 under to clinch the Stonehaven Cup by four strokes – has ensured what was going to be an average year will end on a high note.
"To win the first week and then play relatively horrible golf for nine months (is disappointing)," he said.
"No year you win in the US is a bad year but when it's the first week and you don't play very well for the next six or seven months…I didn't enjoy golf that much this year, just because of how I was playing."
"I came into a bit of form late but ran out of tournaments."
"It's (the Australian Open win) definitely helped the year a lot."
"Any year you win a golf tournament is exciting (and) any year you win the Australian Open you're going to have to look back and think it's a pretty special year."
Ogilvy headed into the final day holding a comfortable five-stroke lead over his nearest rivals.
The tournament was his to lose and the 33-year conceded that made for an uneasy feeling.
"It's an odd feeling having a large lead on the first tee," he said.
"Today was probably the day I struggled the most with my game."
"Today I was least comfortable. The ball just wasn't going quite where I wanted it to go."
"I haven't had to test my short game out the first few days but today I had to, especially on the front nine."
"I got up and down a few times and made all the putts I needed to make."
In the calm conditions that had some players suggesting the course was too easy for such a prestigious tournament, Ogilvy played it safe and waited for those around him to falter.
"There's more of a mental challenge. You haven't given yourself the tournament but everyone else probably has," he said.
"I'd much rather go out with a lead but there's that slightly uncomfortable feeling about a large lead."
"My attitude was 'they have to come and get me, I don't have to do anything special'."
"I thought if I kept playing the way I was playing I was destined to make two or three birdies and that meant he (playing partner and eventual joint runner-up Matt Jones) had to shoot eight or nine under."
"It was never panic stations."
Ogilvy has had several near misses at the Australian Open in the past, including a runner-up placing to John Senden in 2006.
Etching his name alongside the likes of Australian golfing greats Greg Norman, Adam Scott and Steve Elkington hasn't been an obsession, but definitely a career goal.
"I'd love to win the (Australian) Masters – my goal is to win every tournament I play – but this is the real special one in Australian golf, this is the jewel," Ogilvy declared.
"This is right up there."
Asked what it meant to have his name up there with some of golf's biggest names, Ogilvy replied: "I don't mind where people put me in relation to the greats."
"I'd like to win lots of big tournaments because winning tournaments is enjoyable."
"It's a feeling of satisfaction. If I play like I think I can play, I think I'll have a reasonable career."
"The motivation isn't about how people talk about my career."

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