Ogilvy in the hunt for NEC place
BY iseekgolf.com | US PGA Tour | 2005 NEC Invitational | General | 04 Aug 2005
World number 52, Australian Geoff Ogilvy will have a vested interest in where he stands following this weekend’s US PGA Tour event, The International, as those on the inside of the World’s Top 50 will qualify for the World Golf Championships – NEC Invitational at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio from August 16-21.
Twenty eight year old Ogilvy will attempt to improve his position after The International this week and next week’s US PGA Championship and with 16 cuts from 19 events this year, including his maiden US PGA TOUR win at the Chrysler Classic of Tuscon, he has grown in confidence and is just outside contention.
Ogilvy’s results this year have reflected a new found confidence and in addition to his USPGA TOUR victory, he also recorded his first top-10 in a major when he tied for fifth at the recent Open Championship at St. Andrews. The AFL-loving Victorian has earned his stripes through hard work and persistence after turning professional in 1998 when he was crowned the PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA Rookie of the Year.
Ogilvy earned his Australasian Tour, USPGA Tour and European Tour cards on his first attempt and in 2001 had his best result on the Australasian Tour when he finished runner up to Robert Allenby at the Cadbury Schweppes Australian PGA Championship.
He is currently 31st on the USPGA Tour Money List.
Ogilvy will be looking to join fellow Australasians who are already exempt into the NEC Invitational including Stuart Appleby, Michael Campbell, Richard Green, Peter Lonard, Craig Parry, Adam Scott and Andre Stolz.
Parry is the only Australasian to have won the event since its inception in 1999.
In 2002 he was tied for the lead going into the final round, with Tiger Woods and Ernie Els among those in position to track him down. Parry put together a masterful final round closing with a 6-under 65 and playing the final 48 holes without a bogey.
Parry finished at 16-under 268 to win the tournament, four strokes ahead of fellow Aussie Robert Allenby (69) and at the time was the only player besides Woods to capture this event. Since then Darren Clarke (2003) and Stewart Cink (2004) have added an International flavour.
Playing members of the 2005 US and International Presidents Cup teams and the top 50 players, including any tied for 50th place, from the Official World Golf Rankings as of Monday August 8 and then again on Monday August 15 will qualify for this year’s event. They will be joined by the United States and European Tour members from the 2004 Ryder Cup as well as winners of select golf tournaments around the world.
Source – PGA Tour
