Ogilvy Looking Forward To The Fun Of Wgc-accenture Match Play Championship
Thursday, 18th February, 2010
Geoff Ogilvy has revealed that he has no predetermined strategy as he looks to thwart the challenge of 63 other players to successfully defend the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
The Australian, who uses a Titleist 909D3 golf driver, added to the title he also won in 2006 when comfortably holding off Paul Casey 4&3 in the final 12 months ago.
Titlesit 909 D3 Driver
Sweden's Alex Noren stands in his way in the first round this year and Ogilvy highlights that he will be taking things one shot at a time and not setting out with the aim to be particularly aggressive with his golf irons.
Ogilvy said: "Match play game plans are quite dependent on the guy - you might want to hit driver down the first hole, but if he hits it 50 yards in the bush, you don't hit driver down the first hole anymore. So you've got to have a fluid game plan.
"I always thought it was fun that you could shoot 80 but still win or that you could shoot 65 and lose."
The 32-year-old is ranked tenth overall in the event and this is despite the absence of two of the top three players in the world - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Arizona.
This means that Steve Stricker takes over the mantle as the top-ranked player in the event, which leaves him to face late-replacement Ross McGowan in the opening round.
And although the world number two admits he knows little of the Englishman, he will not already be looking ahead to a second-round clash with either Ryo Ishikawa or Michael Sim.
Stricker said: "I don't know much about him as a player. I don't think it's good or bad. I'm sure he likes having me as a seed rather than Tiger.
"All the matches are going to be hard. I don't think you can look past anybody in this tournament. I am going to have to be ready to play and play well."
Meanwhile, Henrik Stenson makes his 2010 PGA Tour debut at the match play event and will face Ben Crane in the opening round.
Rory McIlroy will look to play through the pain barrier and fire his titleist irons to victory over Kevin Na.
Other intriguing first-round clashes pit big-hitting Alvaro Quiros against Mike Weir and reigning Masters champion Angel Cabrera takes on Adam Scott.
Furthermore, the Molinari brothers have been placed in the same quarter of the draw and face tricky battles if they wish to progress through the opening round.
Older brother Edoardo faces 2009 Open Championship winner Stewart Cink, while Francesco has been handed Zach Johnson.
Stewart Cink, Paul Casey, Anthony Kim and Lucas Glover are all in action.
Casey steps onto the course with Canada's Stephen Ames, Kim faces fellow American Matt Kuchar and Glover has been given a European assignment in the shape of Denmark's Anders Hansen.
Finally Ian Poulter looks a great bet with his Ryder Cup matchplay experience behind him, he needs a good win against the consistent Justin Leonard in the first round to build on.
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