Geoff Ogilvy figured heading to Reno this week might have been a bad idea but he is buying drinks for all those who convinced him otherwise after breaking a four-year victory drought.
The former US Open champion burst out of a slump to win the US PGA tour Barracuda Championship and earn a place in next week’s PGA Championship – extending his exempt status on tour through the 2015-16 season.
Ogilvy, who was without a win in the USA since January 2010 and without any victory at all since his December 2010 Australian Open win, claimed his eighth US PGA trophy by finishing the modified stableford event on 49 points at Montreux Golf and Country Club, five clear of American Justin Hicks.
Ogilvy only needed to bogey the last hole but finished in style with a birdie.
“Obviously it feels like it’s been a long time coming. It’s been a bit rough the past few years,” Ogilvy said.
“I was 50/50 on coming here this week. On Monday night, I had a really long trip back from Canada and I was tired and over it and frustrated.
“Everyone talked to me into it. Said, `come to Reno. You’ll like Reno. You’re playing well.’
“So as soon as I decided to come up here, I was pretty excited. For 72 holes it was one of the better body of works I’ve put together.”
The 2006 US Open winner will now take his place at Valhalla in Louisville Kentucky next week, and has also earned a trip to Maui for the tournament of champions in January, a place at which he has twice won.
He has also cemented a place in the US PGA Tour playoffs, a feat only possible had he won either this week or in two weeks time after not having a top 10 finish since March of 2013.
Given the rough patch, the Victorian ranked the win as one of his most important.
“It’s pretty satisfying. It has been pretty rough packing up in the locker rooms after missing cuts and having bad finishes,” he said.
“This is nice. It doesn’t feel like a first win, but it’s a very satisfying win. Maybe one of the most important wins ever.
“All the other ones came soon after other wins and golf was going well. This is when I was way out of the FedEx Cup and the world ranking had slipped a long way.
“So nice to turn the ship around.”
The 37-year-old becomes the sixth Australian to win on the PGA Tour this year behind Jason Day, Adam Scott, Matt Jones, John Senden and Steven Bowditch.
Fellow Australian Rod Pampling finished fifth on 36 points in the event where albatrosses were worth eight points, eagles five points, birdies two points, pars zero points, bogeys minus one and double bogeys or worse were worth minus three points.
