Ogilvy changes course with early win

Article Photos

KAPALUA - It appears the only thing that Geoff Ogilvy plans to change for this week's Sony Open is his facial hair.

''I could shave tomorrow, maybe, we'll see,'' said Ogilvy on Sunday after winning the Mercedes-Benz Championship at the Kapalua Plantation Course. ''I probably should. It's getting a little unruly.

''Once I started playing well, you cannot shave after that. It's like taking your sweater off when you're playing well. Even if it's hot, you leave it on.''

With his six-shot victory Sunday, the 31-year-old Australian secured his spot at the winners-only event next year. It would be his fourth trip to Maui in five years after his first appearance in 2006.

By beating out 32 of last year's PGA Tour champions on the Plantation Course, the 2006 U.S. Open champion collected 500 FedEx Cup points to start off the season with a 255-point lead over Anthony Kim and Davis Love III. Last year he finished No. 32 on the points list.

In 2008, Ogilvy picked up his lone PGA Tour win at the CA Championship - a World Golf Championships event - in March by edging out Vijay Singh, Retief Goosen and Jim Furyk by a shot.

After his first-ever season-starting win, Ogilvy is looking forward to the year ahead.

''I've been a horrible starter generally on Tour,'' he said. ''I missed my first three cuts last year. So to actually win the first week, that's a dream start to the new year. I knew I was playing well, so it's nice to have one up early and now I can set about getting more.''

After turning pro in 1998, Ogilvy developed the reputation of having a temper on the course, something that he has been working on as his career develops.

''I just work on it myself, to be honest with you,'' said Ogilvy when asked if there was someone he was working with to improve the psychological side of his game. ''I read books and all that sort of stuff. It's quite simple, really. Hard to do, but quite simple. Just be nice to yourself.''

Ogilvy believes that keeping the right frame of mind is one of the most important tools on the golf course.

''I never wondered whether I could (win) because I knew I could,'' Ogilvy said. ''Belief is pretty important. Belief is important and belief is being positive, but belief is also doing good things. You've got to pump yourself up, but you've also got to get the runs on the board.''

Ogilvy plays next at the Sony Open at the Waialae Country Club, with the first round set for Thursday. The Sony is the first full-field event of the 2009 PGA Tour season.

Ogilvy is hoping to join Ernie Els as the only player to capture titles at both tournaments in a single year. Els won at Kapalua and Waialae in 2003.

The prize pool for the Sony Open is $5.4 million. For his win at Kapalua, Ogilvy pocketed $1,120,000.

''We are so lucky to play for the money that we do,'' said Ogilvy. ''It's silly, really. And it's a completely absurd lifestyle that we live. I'm thankful that I'm pretty good at something that people want to watch and people want to put money up for.

''I mean, there's 20 guys a year now who make more than Arnie (Palmer) did in his whole career, every year, and that's ridiculous. It's just timing. Our generation's timing is impeccable.''