Ogilvy in upbeat mood for Oakmont title defense
PITTSBURGH: Geoff Ogilvy is excited about his US Open title defense this week despite the challenge of a golf course he rates as the toughest in the game.
"It's a pretty cool feeling being US Open champion and it sounds just as good this week as it did last year," the Australian said at Oakmont Country Club on Monday.
"The last 12 months have been amazing, being introduced as US Open champion, and I'm really looking forward to this week."
Ogilvy, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Monday, had his first look at the daunting par-70 Oakmont layout last week.
"It's a difficult golf course, probably one of the toughest I've played," he said. "Today was actually very playable, though, because it's softer than it has been.
"Last Monday it was a lot harder than this because there's been a bit of rain on it since then. But it's still a pretty tough course."
Ogilvy, who won last year's title by a stroke at Winged Foot after benefiting from late collapses by Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie, accepts the rough will be a major factor.
Wrong spots
"It does your wrist in if you have too many shots out of it," the world number eight said. "It's thick, and it's thick in the wrong spots.
"In some spots, like the graduated cut, you've got a chance but the heavy stuff is pretty healthy."
Asked whether he felt any pressure as the title-holder, Ogilvy replied: "In some respects, yeah.
"But you can argue there's probably less pressure on because I'm the only one here who won it last year so everyone else needs to win it more than me at the moment."
Ogilvy has produced erratic form on the 2007 PGA Tour with four top 10s and two missed cuts in 14 starts. He failed to qualify for the final two rounds at last week's St. Jude Championship after shooting 78 and 71.
"It's been a little bit up-and-down," said the Australian, who was runner-up at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and tied for third at the WGC-CA Championship.
"No spectacular weeks but no bad ones either. My game is okay, not as sharp as it has been but you just never know in golf. Good form is never that far away."
Ogilvy is scheduled to tee off with world number one Tiger Woods and US amateur champion Richie Ramsay of Britain at 0806 (1206 GMT) in Thursday's opening round.
Agencies
(China Daily 06/13/2007 page23)
