Two years ago, Andy Ogletree was making his debut in the LIV Golf series in London and let’s be totally honest—it was a bit of a disaster for the American.
Limping around the course with injuries that clung to him like a bad caddie, he ended up dead last and desperate for a second chance.
Fast forward to this week, and Ogletree is back in England, swinging with the determination of a man who’s learned a thing or two about pain and perseverance.
Through two rounds at LIV Golf UK by JCB, he’s flipped the script. After a bogey-free 6-under 65,
Ogletree is now perched at 12 under, holding a two-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round at the picturesque JCB Golf and Country Club.
On the team front, it’s a bit of a slugfest. Smash GC and Legion XIII are sharing a four-shot lead over Ogletree’s HyFlyers GC, along with Stinger GC and Torque GC.
For Ogletree, this isn’t just about winning his first LIV Golf title; it’s about redemption.
“Complete the journey,” he said, now a member of Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers after clinching a spot this season as the 2023 International Series champion.
“It’s been a crazy road. I don’t know exactly what it will mean. We’ll see. But for now, just focus on tomorrow, focus on taking care of the things that I can control, and we’ll go from there.”
Ogletree has had to tweak his swing this season to accommodate an injured left wrist.
But he can’t afford to dwell on that now, especially with two of LIV Golf’s heavyweights breathing down his neck.
Cameron Smith, captain of Ripper GC, is gunning for back-to-back LIV Golf titles in England, having clinched last year’s event at Centurion Club.
Meanwhile, Tyrrell Hatton of Legion XIII is fresh off his first LIV Golf victory in Nashville and has been a model of consistency.
Smith and Hatton are both at 10 under. Yet, neither seemed overly thrilled with their 5-under 66s in the second round.
Smith, after his eighth birdie of the day, looked set to lead by two. But a couple of wayward swings at the 16th and a splash at the island-green 17th resulted in consecutive bogeys.
“Probably the most disappointing 5-under I think I’ve ever had,” said the three-time LIV Golf winner. “Was feeling really nice until a couple of loose swings.”
Hatton’s round was bogey-free, striking the ball superbly from tee to green, missing only two greens in regulation.
But his putter took a while to wake up. “Played some really nice golf and just felt like I was putting to thin air,” Hatton lamented.
“Didn’t feel like there was actually a hole out there. It took until the 10th hole for a putt to drop.”
Sunday’s final group will feature Ogletree, Smith, and Hatton. Yet, the competition is stiff, with seven other players within five shots of the lead.
This includes Legion XIII Captain Jon Rahm and Crushers GC’s Paul Casey, who are tied for fourth; 2023 Individual Champion Talor Gooch, tied for sixth with Stinger GC Captain Louis Oosthuizen; and Gooch’s Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka, who is tied for eighth alongside the RangeGoats duo of Matthew Wolff and Peter Uihlein.
Ogletree faces a formidable challenge to fend off this pack of elite pursuers. But given his arduous journey to this point, he’s more than up for it.
Currently 38th in points, a win would catapult him into the top 24 Lock Zone with only two regular-season tournaments left.
“I think I’ll be nervous, but I’ll look forward to that,” he admitted. “I’ll run towards that pressure and embrace it, and I think everyone is going to be nervous coming down the stretch. Whatever happens, I’ll accept it and learn from it and move on.”
