Geoff Ogilvy Three Back of Griffin After Round One at the Australian Open

Despite being one of the country’s best players for a decade, Geoff Ogilvy has never won the Australian Open.  Regardless, his opening 68 at the Lakes Golf Club has him as the betting favourite heading to round two.

Ogilvy rode eagles on the par-5 11th and 17th holes to his (-4) round putting him 3 shots back of Matthew Griffin.  As a result, the bookmakers have anointed their man going to Friday, as the former US Open champion tees off round two at (4-1).

Griffin hasn’t had a significant result since turning pro, but if he can keep up the type of play he showed in round one he’ll have a chance for a career changing finish in Sydney.

It seems a bit of a stretch to expect him to contend with the likes of Ogilvy and PGA Tour vet John Senden in the field.

The native of Melbourne hasn’t posted a top-25 on any tour this season with his best finish a 28th at the Nationwide Tour’s Michael Hill New Zealand Open. Griffin did play three events on the European Tour this season, but couldn’t crack the top-50 in any of them. 

Understandably, the books have considerable reservations sending Griffin off at (14-1).

John Senden has played the PGA Tour for a decade and shouldn’t find the national open’s pressure overwhelming as he’s seen it all before.

Senden, unlike Ogilvy, is a former champion at the Aussie Open, having won in 2005, and will be looking to cap a solid season in America with a victory on home soil.

His 66 in round one puts him just a shot off Griffin’s lead.  His opening round was impressive to say the least as Senden posted 6 birdies and not a single bogey.

With play like that, it’s no surprise the bookies have him just behind Ogilvy at (5-1).

John Daly is in the field in Sydney this week and he got himself off to decent start on Thursday.

The long hitter from Arkansas had 6 birdies and 3 bogies on his way to an opening 69.  As per usual, it’s always an intriguing story when Daly’s results live up to his considerable talent.

With so many unknown wildcards in the field, Daly could challenge for the title if he can avoid implosion and put together another quality round on Friday.

However, the uncertainty of which Daly will show up on a given day has the bookmakers showing little confidence as they’ve got him at (40-1).

I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone's golf game:  it's called an eraser  - Arnold Palmer