OGILVY: Three shots I’d love to play again

EXCLUSIVE BY GOLF AUSTRALIA COLUMNIST GEOFF OGILVY

Everyone who has ever played golf knows the feeling: “I wish I could play that shot over again.” It’s a fact of golfing life. Yes, we all play to hit the ball and shoot low scores, but when you think about it, everything you do is just getting you ready to hit the good shot at the right time.

Geoff Ogilvy walks off the seventh green during his final match with Henrik Stenson.
PHOTO: Scott Halleran/Getty Images.

Once you have played for a while too, you realise that, say, 15 holes of every round are more of that same sort of preparation. But at some stage in those other three holes you are going to have to hit a really good shot under pressure. That’s intimidating if you haven’t been there before, as every beginner realises the first time they have to hit off the 1st tee with people watching.

After the truth of that golfing reality hit me, I knew that a big key to success in this game is hitting those important shots well. They are the fun shots too. But, inevitably, the results are not always going to be what you would like. I’ve been lucky in that respect. For the most part, I’ve been able to hit good if not great shots in those situations. I’ve never been a Tiger Woods or a Jack Nicklaus, someone able to pull off amazing shots under pressure. But I haven’t had too many complete disasters either.

The nervous anticipation we all feel before important shots is a huge part of the game. It can be a very uncomfortable time. But if you hit the shot well, the time after is amazing. It’s almost the best part of golf. Whatever the result though, we all have to walk that knife edge of emotion before we have to step up and just do it.

Anyway, for what it’s worth, here are the three shots I’d most like to play one more time.

1. In the 2007 Masters I was maybe three shots off the lead when I came to the par-5 15th hole in the third round. The weather was terrible, freezing cold and windy, so I had to lay-up short of the pond in front of the green. Walking to the ball I was feeling pretty good about my position. A reasonable finish to the round would give me a chance of victory the next day.

Over the ball I was fine too. But as soon as I hit it, my caddie said, “get up”. I knew that meant trouble as he never said that sort of thing unless he knew I was coming up short. And he was never wrong. Watching the ball in the air, I feared the worst. We’ve all seen players hit that shot and finish in the water and now I was about to become another of those guys – the ball landed on the green and spun back into the water.

I dropped another ball and did the same thing again. Eventually, I made a nine. I would really like that first shot back. Actually, I want them both back. Yes, both were off a downslope to a tight pin, but the lies were fine. I just didn’t hit them hard enough. Walking off the green I was pretty rattled. It was like I was in shock. People were talking to me but I wasn’t hearing them. I knew that was the end of my hopes to have a chance to win.

2. Earlier in 2007 I was playing Henrik Stenson in the 36-hole final of the WGC–Match Play Championship. I hadn’t lost a match in that event for two years at that point and, sure enough, for the first 26 holes things were going along nicely. I was 2-up with ten to play.

A short miss led to a complete change in momentum against Henrik Stenson in the final of the WGC–Match Play in 2007. Next thing I know we're shaking hands.
PHOTO: Andy Lyons/Getty Images.

On the 10th green, I had maybe a two-foot putt to stay 2-up. Maybe two-and-a-half feet. It wasn’t a gimme, but it wasn’t much more than a tap-in. And of course I missed it. In that moment, the match changed completely. I went from someone playing with a lot of confidence to some other guy who felt like he was going to lose.

I did too. A few holes later, the match was over, 2&1. Mentally, I was gone.

But if I had backed off that putt and holed it, I’m sure I would have gone on and won. I went from the perfect headspace to another place entirely. My miss gave Henrik hope he should never have had. He’s an amazing player – and he performed well that day – but I’m convinced I would have won had I made that putt. I was annoyed for a really long time afterwards.

A poor choice on the last hole of the 2001 Honda Classic proved costly. PHOTO: Scott Halleran/Getty Images

3. The Honda Classic of 2001 was, I think, my fourth or fifth PGA Tour event after I got my card at Qualifying School. I played really well and came to the 72nd hole tied for the lead. My approach came up about five yards short of the green, which was fine. All I had left was a pretty straightforward up-and-down to get into a play-off.

I stood over that shot for maybe three minutes, wondering if I should chip or putt. I got my wedge out but that didn’t feel right – things can go wrong when you chip. The putter wasn’t right either though. In ordinary circumstances I would never have putted from there. But in that situation so much less can go wrong with a putt compared with

a chip.

In other words, the voice in my head was the instructor telling me to putt rather than chip whenever you can, which is fine, but it isn’t me. And sure enough, I left my first putt eight feet short. Then I missed from there and ended up one shot out of the play-off.

I was headless for a few minutes afterwards, which was why I was caught on television smashing my club into my bag next to the scorer’s hut (Johnny Miller actually praised me for that, saying he was pleased to see I was mad I hadn’t won).

On any of the previous 71 holes I knew I would have chipped that shot. Then all of a sudden I thought I’d better do the ‘right thing’. Crazy.