Geoff Ogilvy: 15 Years On...2006 US Open

June 15, 2021

Geoff Ogilvy

15 Years On...

2006 US Open

The 121st US Open will tee off on June 17 at Torrey Pines, California.
Geoff Ogilvy is the last Australian to win the coveted title. This year marks the 15th year anniversary of his momentous achievement.

(It's all smiles for Australia's Geoff Ogilvy who hoisted the 2006 US Open trophy after a memorable final day at Winged Foot).

Sometimes in golf, par is your friend! Just ask Geoff Ogilvy, who emerged victorious at the 2006 US Open after a drama-filled Sunday afternoon at Winged Foot Golf Club, New York. The young Australian was unflappable down the stretch. The same cant be said for the other contenders.

The final round of the 2006 US Open became one of the most exciting days in the event’s history. Five different players held the lead with 15 lead changes between them. They were, Geoff Ogilvy who was a two-time winner on the PGA Tour and searching for his maiden major title. America’s Phil Mickelson who was looking to score his third consecutive major victory after coming into the week as the reigning PGA and Masters champion. America’s Jim Furyk who won the US Open in 2003. Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie who owned 30 wins on the European Tour and was hoping to earn his first victory in the US. And, little known England’s Kenneth Ferrie rounded out the handful of leading players. Another player, Ireland’s Padraig Harrington was well in the hunt and one back from the lead with two holes to play.

Ogilvy, then aged 29, entered the final round in outright third place one shot behind Mickelson and Ferrie. Two shots back from the Melburnian sat Montgomerie, England’s Ian Poulter, Fiji’s Vijay Singh and America’s Steve Stricker. Another shot back found Furyk, Harrington and Canada’s Mike Weir in contention after 54 holes. It was a formidable leaderboard stacked with past major champions and some of the game’s best players of the day.

Ogilvy was paired with Poulter in the second last group and made a strong start. The reigning WGC-Matchplay champion covered the first seven holes in two under par to get to 1-over for the event. Ogilvy’s early round form gave him a two shot lead over his nearest rivals—Mickelson and Montgomerie. However, his game lost shape through the middle of the round and he gave up ground to the field over the next seven holes with four unanswered bogeys. After 14 holes, Ogilvy found himself two shots behind Mickelson (+3) and one shot trailing Furyk and Harrington (+4). He was tied with Montgomerie at 5-over. The US Open trophy was up for grabs. A number of players still had a chance of victory with the demanding final four-hole stretch of difficult par 4s to play.

Ogilvy finished his round with four consecutive pars. It was a remarkable achievement, which included holing a 30-foot chip shot at the 17th and making a clutch downhill 6-foot putt at the final hole. He finished at 5-over for the event after rounds of 71, 70, 72 and 72.

Of the leading players, no one matched let alone bettered Ogilvy’s steely nerve over the closing four-hole stretch. Carnage ensued as the players around him collapsed. Padraig Harrington finished with three consecutive bogeys to fall two shots behind Ogilvy. They were the only bogeys he registered all round. Harrington finished in outright fifth place. Furyk bogeyed the 15th and 18th holes to lose by one shot. Mickelson and Montgomerie teed off on their 72nd hole holding a one shot advantage over Ogilvy. They both double-bogeyed the final hole and joined Furyk in a tie for second place.

Ogilvy became the first Australian to win a men’s major since Steve Elkington at the 1995 PGA Championship. He was the first Australian to win the Men’s US Open in a quarter century, since David Graham in 1981. And, Ogilvy joined some of the game’s greatest players to have won the US Open at the famed Winged Foot layout: Bobby Jones (1929), Billy Casper (1959), Hale Irwin (1974) and Fuzzy Zoeller (1984). Bryson DeChambeau added his name to the list of US Open winners at Winged Foot in 2020.

WATCH: My US Open...Geoff Ogilvy 2006

Video Credit: USGA