Luring Tiger back could be a matter of course

Former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy says there is a chance of luring Tiger Woods to play in Australia again. But it’s not a big one.

Ogilvy suggested that Woods’ interest in course design might help to bring the golfing phenomenon back to Australia following his trips across the Pacific early on in his career.

When asked what was needed to have Woods in action again on Australian shores, Ogilvy replied: “A lot of encouragement.

“He is right into his courses, he has just announced he is doing his fourth course at the moment.

“It is well known that some of the courses in Australia are some of the best in the world - especially Royal Melbourne and Kingston Heath.

“He has made public statements about how much he likes those courses and how much he would like his courses to be like those.

“We have got something going for us over other countries because he will want to come and study them and see how he would like to apply that to his golf courses.”

The American is currently recovering from knee surgery after going under the knife in June.

And that, Ogilvy believes, may make getting Woods to play in Australia a tad more difficult.

“It is still going to take a lot of encouragement, especially if he is going to start looking after his body better,” he said.

“Those 20 hour plane trips are going to be looked at more seriously than before. But nothing is impossible with encouragement.”

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