If reports are correct then Paul McGinley’s recent transAtlantic audition for the vacant NBC TV hosting role may have be to no avail.
Aussie Geoff Ogilvy has seemedingly bumped the Irishman out of favouritism for the prime PGA Tour TV commentary position.
That’s the view according to Sports Business Journal naming the 43-year-old and former 2006 US Open winning Ogilvy as set to replace Paul Azinger for the next month’s opening event of the 2024 PGA Tour schedule.
Ogilvy’s captured a dozen tournaments in his pro career, including eight on the PGA Tour and two on his own Australasian Tour, capped with success back home in the 2010 Australian Open and, unlike McGinley, he’s been competing on the PGA since 2001 so he knows probably every nook and cranny on the Tour while his family are long-time US residents.
It was Ogilvy’s efforts at Winged Foot in 2006 that defines his golfing career, posting a closing round 72 that including parring the closing two holes before being virtually gifted the championship when both Phil Mickelson and then Colin Montgomerie, and the Scot just needing a par up the last to win, each doubled the 72nd hole.
A young-looking Geoff Ogilvy wins the 2006 US Open becoming the ninth Australian-born player to win a Major.
Since winding down his ‘inside the ropes’ career Ogilvy has impressed more than many with his knowledge of the game via both radio and TV commentary while he’s dabbled in bit of golf course redesign work. More recently, Ogilvy has gained more supporters for his insightful comments via the Fire Pit Collective.
Whether it’s a major wining Ogilvy or Ryder Cup winning McGinley we probably won’t know until the January 4th commencing The Sentry and the new title name for the Sentry Tournament of Champions.
What we do know is that defending champ Jon Rahm will not be making his way to the Hawaiian Islands.
FOOTNOTE ….
This journalist was present at the 2006 US Open when Olgivy captured his only major, and when many in the media centre thought we would be reporting finally on a long-overdue maiden Major victory by ‘Monty’.
Monty went into the final round three shots off the lead and as the round unfolded, he was not going away.
The Scot played a superb 72nd hole drive finding the middle of the fairway while last round playing partner Vijay Singh pushed his last drive way left of the slope leading up to the final green.
Singh got to his ball but was uncertain of his next shot and called for a referee.
Now here, and is the view of many, why Monty did not win the 2006 US Open.
The same 2006 US Open poster, but signed by Geoff Ogilvy, is in my possession (See below)
It seemed to take ages for Singh to get himself sorted and with Monty now facing uncertainty of what club to hit – a 7-iron or an 8-iron – and the more Monty and long-time caddy Alastair McLean waited the more uncertain they became on club choice.
What Monty should have done was seek Singh’s permission to play on. He didn’t and after who knows how many minutes, Monty missed the green and walked off posting a double-bogey when a par 4 would have won.
In fairness to Ogilvy, he came from a shot behind ahead of the final round and found himself leading by two through seven holes but soon lost the advantage with four bogeys in succession from the eighth.
Oglivly, and looking to become on a second ‘Down Under’ US Open winner, then holed a nine-metre chip-in shot for birdie at the 71st and got up-and-down from a sand-filled divot on the 72nd fairway for par and a round for his five-over total.
Monty had holed a monster 50-metre plus birdie at the 71st hole to regain the lead but the indecision at the last sadly led to more of the wrong sporting headlines, losing out by a shot in forcing a play-off.
It was very late in the afternoon when Ogilvy was confirmed the champion and one of the first things I did was hurriedly leave the media centre and head to the nearest US Open souvenir shop to purchase two 2006 US Open posters.
I am sitting here typing this story, admiring one of the framed posters that Ogilvy generously signed for me.
