Melbourne mates locked in feud
Source: Agencies |
December 1, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
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THE Presidents Cup ended on a sour note for the International team when it lost at Royal Melbourne. It deteriorated a week later when Robert Allenby and Geoff Ogilvy, both Melbourne natives who were partners in the loss, exchanged heated words in the hotel restaurant.
Allenby spent a week answering questions about his 0-4 record as a captain's pick, in which he explained that his partners also contributed to the loss. He mentioned Ogilvy's tee shots into the trees and Retief Goosen missing his share of putts.
Ogilvy said on Twitter last week when Allenby got into contention at the PGA Championship, "Warms the heart to see Robert playing so well this week." He said the tweet was genuine but Allenby interpreted it as being sarcastic.
When they confronted each other in the hotel at the end of the week, Allenby suggested they take the matter outside and Ogilvy didn't back down. It ended with Allenby walking away. At the root of this spat is the tendency to rate individual play in a team competition, which is never a good idea, and rarely accurate.
Allenby was the only player who didn't win a point, and first captain's pick to get shut out since John Huston in 1998. Allenby was on the losing end to Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson, one of the strongest American teams, and he and Ogilvy were beaten by Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, a tandem that lost only one of four matches.
In the Allenby-Ogilvy match, Ogilvy hit three straight tee shots to the right. Two led to a loss of the hole, and on the other, Allenby made a 15-foot par putt to halve the hole. Allenby also made a 20-foot par putt to extend the match on the 15th, yet he missed four birdie putts inside 12 feet that would have won the hole. They ended up losing - as a team. When Allenby hit into a tree on the 15th, Ogilvy smiled at him and said, "Getting back at me?" It was good banter by two Aussies who understand that "sorry" is the worst word in team match.
And when the Presidents Cup was over, Ogilvy was genuinely disappointed for Allenby, knowing that playing before a home crowd was a big deal and that Allenby would be pounded by the press. And he was.
Allenby spent a week answering questions about his 0-4 record as a captain's pick, in which he explained that his partners also contributed to the loss. He mentioned Ogilvy's tee shots into the trees and Retief Goosen missing his share of putts.
Ogilvy said on Twitter last week when Allenby got into contention at the PGA Championship, "Warms the heart to see Robert playing so well this week." He said the tweet was genuine but Allenby interpreted it as being sarcastic.
When they confronted each other in the hotel at the end of the week, Allenby suggested they take the matter outside and Ogilvy didn't back down. It ended with Allenby walking away. At the root of this spat is the tendency to rate individual play in a team competition, which is never a good idea, and rarely accurate.
Allenby was the only player who didn't win a point, and first captain's pick to get shut out since John Huston in 1998. Allenby was on the losing end to Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson, one of the strongest American teams, and he and Ogilvy were beaten by Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson, a tandem that lost only one of four matches.
In the Allenby-Ogilvy match, Ogilvy hit three straight tee shots to the right. Two led to a loss of the hole, and on the other, Allenby made a 15-foot par putt to halve the hole. Allenby also made a 20-foot par putt to extend the match on the 15th, yet he missed four birdie putts inside 12 feet that would have won the hole. They ended up losing - as a team. When Allenby hit into a tree on the 15th, Ogilvy smiled at him and said, "Getting back at me?" It was good banter by two Aussies who understand that "sorry" is the worst word in team match.
And when the Presidents Cup was over, Ogilvy was genuinely disappointed for Allenby, knowing that playing before a home crowd was a big deal and that Allenby would be pounded by the press. And he was.
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