Ogilvy Wins Match Play For Second Time In Four Years
01/03/2009 17:25
MARANA, Ariz. - Geoff Ogilvy won the Accenture Match Play Championship for the second time in four years with a 4-and-3 victory over Paul Casey of England to stake his claim Sunday as the best in the world at match play.
In a relentless performance at Dove Mountain, the 31-year-old Australian did not trail over the final 62 holes of the tournament and did not have a bogey on his card over the last 57 holes.
He took the lead with a six-foot birdie on the first hole of a 36-hole title match, and never gave Casey a chance. Ogilvy had a 3-up lead after the morning round, then shot 31 on the front nine to pull away.
A tournament that began with so much buzz over the return of Tiger Woods ended with a newfound appreciation for the match-play prowess of Ogilvy, who ran his career record to 18-3 in this fickle format.
"The best thing I can say is I enjoy the format," Ogilvy said. "Generally, when you enjoy something, you do it well."
Ogilvy won his third World Golf Championship - he will defend his title in two week at Doral in the CA Championship - the most of any player besides Woods, who has won 15 of these elite events.
And while Woods is a three-time winner of the Match Play Championship, Ogilvy ran his record in this tournament to 17-2. He lost in the championship match two years ago to Henrik Stenson, and lost in the first round last year to Justin Leonard.
Casey, who brought a 16-3-1 record in match play into the final, faced a 3-up deficit after the morning match and knew he had to play well to get back in the game. He birdied three of his next eight holes, and Ogilvy still stretched his lead to 5 up.
"I have no excuses right now," Casey said.
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SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
Maybe Ogilvy has found his niche - match play?