Ogilvy comes into focus for NBC TV lead analyst role

Aussie Geoff Ogilvy has seemingly bumped the Irishman out of favour for the prime PGA Tour TV commentary position.

That’s the view according to Sports Business Journal naming the 43-year-old, former 2006 US Open winning Ogilvy as being 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 defined his golfing career, posting a closing round 72 before being virtually gifted the championship when both Phil Mickelson and then Colin Montgomerie, with the Scot just needing a par up the last to win, both doubling the 72^nd hole.

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 also 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 4^th commencing The Sentry, the new title name for the Sentry Tournament of Champions.

What we do know however, 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 for ‘Monty’ who 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 72^nd 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.

It seemed to take ages for Singh to get himself sorted with Monty 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 in my opinion, 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.

Oglivy, looking to become only a second ‘Down Under’ US Open winner, then holed a nine metre chip shot  at the 71^st and got up-and-down from a sand-filled divot on the 72^nd fairway for par and a round for his five-over total.

Monty had holed a monster 50-metre plus birdie at the 71^st 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.