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This guy gets it. And, like most Australians, he’s never been mealy-mouthed or obfuscating when making his points. But no matter what position he’s taking, Geoff Ogilvy always feels like a friend. He’s direct but not in the in-your-face way that marks so much of today’s discourse. Ogilvy (above) is bright, thoughtful, reasonable and open to opposing points of view – a rare combination, not just for athletes but for everyone from politicians to pig farmers. When the 2006 U.S. Open champion speaks these days, whether the subject is art, architecture, cars, the future of modern major championships or, as was the case last week in Victoria, Australia, the idea of men and women competing simultaneously at the same venue, you lean in and listen. And you usually learn something.
Ogilvy is 42 now, with a gray beard and enough worldly wrinkles around his eyes to earn him a few “yes sirs” from his fellow competitors. But his thinking hasn’t hardened. He’s never been the kind of guy to latch onto a position and beat it to death for decades. And you could never imagine him hiking his pants up to his ribcage and grumbling about the government full time. This is not a “get off my lawn” middle-aged golfer.
So, when asked about the revitalized ISPS Handa Vic Open, where men and women played together on the 13th Beach Golf Links in Victoria – two tournaments, one location, same time, same prize money – Ogilvy said he thinks the concept is a winner. Not only that, he believes the idea has legs.
First, he said, “Well, there’s more than guys in the world that play golf or play sport. I’m a golf tragic so when I come to a golf tournament, I’m watching other people play just as much as I’m playing myself. This week and last year (at the Vic Open) I found all I wanted to do was watch the women and how they went about it. Some of them are just machines, they just don’t hit bad shots. It’s just a different style. There's something to be learnt from both sides and there's enjoyment in watching both styles of play.”
Then, in an open letter posted at LPGA.com, Ogilvy went further, saying, “The event that changed a lot of thinking was the 2014 U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open played back-to-back at Pinehurst No. 2. A lot of people didn’t think back-to-back championships would work, but it turned out to be a revelation. Not only could the men and women compete on the same course, they could do it under virtually identical conditions. Now, here at the ISPS Handa Vic Open, they’re doing it simultaneously.
“The Vic Open should open people’s eyes to the fact that our game is full of amazing golf talent. It also proves that women and men playing together can work. Tennis has been doing it for years and has clearly benefited from it. There are certain major tennis championships where the women’s finals draw more eyes than the men. I know some people think it's not complete equity – the women play best of three sets and the men play best of five, that sort of thing – but at least they play at the same place at the same time. And, they play for the same prize money.”
Of course, this sort of thing can’t happen at every tournament. Ogilvy understands that as well as anyone.
“It just requires a bit of creative thinking. And it requires a change in mindset.”
Geoff Ogilvy
He’s not advocating a single tour. But he does think that events like the men’s and women’s Australian Opens could be played simultaneously on the right venues.
“At a Royal Melbourne East and Royal Melbourne West or Peninsula Kingswood North and Peninsula Kingswood South would work,” he wrote. “Or, you could have neighboring courses and combine the common areas. There are logistical ways to pull this off. But the sum will almost always be greater than its parts.
“The Vic Open has proven that men and women together is not only possible, it’s fun to watch. The Pinehurst U.S. Opens proved that back-to-back events work. When Martin Kaymer won and then Michelle Wie the next week, we all loved it. I watched more of that U.S. Women’s Open than any other because I was interested to see how the women played the course that I had just played.”
The fact that the Vic Open was played the week after Novak Djokovic and Sofia Kenin won Australian Open tennis titles in Melbourne, on the same court, on back-to-back nights, was not lost on Ogilvy or anyone else.
This is an idea whose time has come in golf. Some organizers recognize that fact. Annika Sörenstam and Henrik Stenson are the faces of the new Scandinavian Mixed, a June tournament in Sweden that will feature European Tour and Ladies European Tour players competing on the same course for one trophy and one purse. And it was reported last week that there are plans afoot to recast the biennial World Cup of Golf as a mixed-team tournament with a potential $10 million purse.
Both are great ideas. Put women on different tees, tee it up and see who wins. Or, as Ogilvy suggests, run separate events concurrently at 36-hole courses.
Anybody think the members at Baltusrol wouldn’t bite at the chance to host concurrent men’s and women’s championships on their Upper and Lower courses? What do you think Jackie and Robin Burke would say if approached about similar events at the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses at Champions Golf Club? Can you imagine what the turnout would be at St Andrews if the Old and New hosted simultaneous men’s and women’s events?
“It just requires a bit of creative thinking,” Ogilvy wrote. “And it requires a change in mindset. Guys need to open their eyes and their minds and realize that there is good golf being played in the women’s game. Once the mindset changes, the money will certainly follow.”
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