Ogilvy, Casey matched up for title
Geoff Ogilvy and Paul Casey drove up to Dove Mountain two weeks ago to play a practice round on the new golf course for the Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz.
When they play again today, the stakes will be significantly higher.
Ogilvy made 5 birdies on the back nine to outlast teenage sensation Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland in the quarterfinals, then played his final four holes in 5-under par against Stewart Cink for a 4-and-2 victory to reach the championship match for the third time in four years.
His opponent will be Casey, who has turned in the most dominating performance in the 11-year history of this tournament.
In an All-England semifinal, Casey defeated Ross Fisher, 2 and 1, and will have a chance to become the first Match Play champion to never trail in any match the entire week. Even more astounding is that Casey has led 81 of the 82 holes he has played.
A tournament that no longer has Tiger Woods instead has the best two golfers in match play over the last three years.
Ogilvy is 17-2 in match play dating to his 2006 victory at the Accenture Match Play Championship, the final year it was held at La Costa. That includes a singles victory in the Presidents Cup.
Casey is 16-3-1 in match play around the world, including his 2006 victory at the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, when he never trailed over the final 71 holes of that event.
The only time they have faced each other in match play - except for games at their home club in Scottsdale, Ariz. - was two years ago, when Ogilvy scored a 5-and-4 victory in the quarterfinals.
The former U.S. Open champion appears to be hitting his stride.
"That's the best I played all week by a long way today," Ogilvy said.
He had to be sharp against both his opponents on a warm day in the high desert. McIlroy, the 19-year-old from Northern Ireland, kept on Ogilvy's heels the whole match. Ogilvy birdied his last three holes and won only one of them in a 2-and-1 victory.
"He's the real deal," Ogilvy said of a teenager who will rise to No. 15 in the world next week. "This will be the worst ranking he's got for the next 10 years. It's only going to go up, because he's very impressive."
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