Ogilvy leads by 1 after 18

ByReuters

Published 26/02/2006 at 22:20 GMT

Australia's Geoff Ogilvy led American Davis Love III one up at the halfway stage of their 36-hole final at the WGC Match Play Championship on Sunday. The 28-year-old went ahead for the first time with a birdie at the par-three 16th and maintained his adv

2006 WGC Match Play Ogilvy

Image credit: Reuters

Ogilvy, who beat U.S. Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman 4&3 in Saturday's semi-final, is bidding to become the second Australian to claim an individual World Golf Championships (WGC) title after 2002 NEC-Invitational champion Craig Parry.

"It was pretty level until about 11 or 12 and I was kind of hanging on to halve holes," said Ogilvy, who qualified for the 64-strong field at La Costa by winning the Tucson Classic 12 months ago.

"But I hit it better the last four or five holes, struck a great shot into 16 and two great shots into 18, so I'm looking forward to this afternoon," added the world number 53.

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Ogilvy stuns Love III

26/02/2006 at 23:08

The first eight holes were halved at la Costa before Ogilvy found himself in trouble at the par-four ninth.

In the right fairway bunker off the tee, the Australian missed the green to the right with his approach but managed to get up and down to save par, holing out from nine feet.

Love narrowly missed his birdie attempt there from 22 feet, and lipped out for birdie from 19 feet at the next hole.

DEADLOCK BROKEN

However, the American finally broke the deadlock at the par-five 11th, reaching the green in two and two-putting to go one up.

Ogilvy, who found the front left greenside bunker with his second shot, failed to get up and down from the sand for a matching birdie.

Both players struck accurate tee shots into the par-three 12th, Ogilvy holing out from 13 feet for his first birdie of the day and Love following suit with a 12-footer to preserve his lead.

The complexion of the match then changed dramatically over the next three holes.

Both players dropped at the 14th before Love double-bogeyed 15 after taking two shots to escape one of three bunkers at the back of the green.

With the match tied, Ogilvy went ahead for the first time after hitting a superb tee shot to within seven feet of the pin at the par-three 16th.

"We both screwed up 14 and I hit a bad tee shot on 15 to put myself in a bad spot," said the 41-year-old Love, who was beaten 3&2 by Tiger Woods in the 2004 final.

"It will be a tough match this afternoon. Somebody has to grab some momentum and make some birdies."

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