No Don Kings: Managers Downplay Ogilvy-Allenby Stoush

Mark Hayes offers this from Robert Allenby's ten-percenter in rounding up Sunday's post-Presidents Cup confrontation prompted by Allenby's inability to take personal responsibility for his play:

His manager, Tony Bouffler, was confident there would be no lasting ramifications.

"All I know is that they have been good mates and I'm sure will continue to be so in the future," he said.

Martin Blake talks to Geoff Ogilvy's man:

''Look, it wasn't TV Ringside or anything,'' said Paul Galli, Ogilvy's manager. ''I wasn't there, but from what I've been told, it's a storm in a teacup. There were a few words spoken. They will be fine. I've got no doubt they can come together at the [Australian] Masters in a few weeks, have a beer and move on.''

Blake also notes the harsh reaction of former touring pro Paul Gow on his podcast with Luke Elvy, where they also talk about Greg Chalmers' dilemma in pursuing the Australian Masters along with other notes from the Australian PGA week.

But former US PGA Tour professional Paul Gow said it was time Allenby bit his lip in pressure situations.

"I think he acts like a five-year-old when he plays golf," Gow said in his weekly Playing Around podcast with Channel 10 commentator Luke Elvy.

"He has to understand he plays golf for a living. He was in a team environment and to throw out those comments was really immature.

"It's probably time for Robert to grow up, let his clubs do the talking because he's a really, really good player. With this attitude, he will probably never win a major."

Allenby Challenges Ogilvy To Take It Outside, And That's Not A Backswing Reference

Brent Read reports on Robert Allenby's continued meltdown over his horrible Presidents Cup play, with Geoff Ogilvy's Sunday tweet perhaps fueling an "ugly spat" Sunday night following Australian PGA play.

Allenby and Ogilvy exchanged words at the Hyatt Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast where the pair were playing in the Australian PGA with the former believed to have challenged his long-time friend to take the matter outside.

The incident took place in the village square at the Hyatt, where players, caddies, family members and the public were celebrating Greg Chalmers's victory earlier that day. At least one glass was broken before Allenby, who lost the play-off at the PGA that day to Chalmers, walked away, prompting Bronx cheers from a section of those in attendance.

Ah that must have really soothed his ego.

Ogilvy responded with a tweet that read: "Warms the heart to see Robert playing so well this week." Ogilvy later told media the tweet was genuine, although Allenby is believed to have taken offence at what he felt was a piece of sarcasm. It is understood he questioned Ogilvy over the tweet and his Victorian counterpart responded by asking why Allenby refused to take responsibility for his play.

The conversation degenerated to the point where a glass was broken and an offer was made to take the matter outside.

Allenby left the country but will be back for the Australian Masters at Victoria in a few weeks. Victoria, a splendid design, is Ogilvy's boyhood home course.

Update on 2011-11-28 16:09 by Geoff

***New details of the "stoush" from Sportal's Steve Orme, courtesy of reader Chris:

And when Allenby sauntered over to Ogilvy's table and sat down at around 9.15pm on Sunday night, the 2006 US Open champion immediately made his dissatisfaction known.

He was overheard accusing Allenby of throwing him under the bus and openly questioned his character, which sent the four-time PGA winner into a rage.

Allenby inadvertently broke a wine glass and screamed 'do you want to go?' (fight), prompting Ogilvy, who was surrounded by seven friends, to get out of his chair in front of a captivated and stunned audience.

Common sense prevailed as Allenby softened his approach momentarily.

But the argument soon flared up again as Ogilvy unsuccessfully sought an apology.

The ugly stoush escalated once again as Allenby invited his adversary to meet him outside of the main square, to which Ogilvy quipped 'I'd like that'.

Allenby subsequently stormed out as Ogilvy sat calmly.

"The people at Augusta National know how cool that second green is."

Geoff Ogilvy's column in this week's Golf World features some fun insights, but I'm really glad he's touting the underrated second hole, quite possibly the neatest green on the course and mercifully, still shining strategically because the lay-up area hasn't been clogged with trees or rough.

The course is so good because, so often, it allows us to choose how we want to play. My favorite hole is the 13th, but one of the most interesting is the par-5 second. Almost every player in the field has a different theory on where they ideally want to leave the second shot. Some people will lay up way right for the left-side hole location, way left for the right-side spot. But others will always take the former route, no matter where the hole location is. From there you have a backstop when the pin is on the right. Other guys like to lay up in the gap between the bunkers. From there you can use the slopes on the green to get the ball close.

So everyone stands at the top of the hill visualizing slightly different third shots. Everyone has a place where they are more comfortable. And there is no right or wrong. There is just personal preference. To me, that's the mark of a truly great hole.

I'm clearly not alone in feeling that way. The people at Augusta National know how cool that second green is. It's the one putting surface that has been replicated almost exactly on the new range. It's about 60 yards off the practice tee and is so much fun to hit to.

Ogilvy went into more detail about design changes he'd like to see at the course for Alan Bastable at golf.com. Nice to see he's a dreamer...

"This is more of an aesthetics thing, but my ultimate fantasy would be to get the course as close -- in modern distances -- to what MacKenzie and Jones came up with. It was just wild and wacky and there was some really cool stuff like the original ninth green, which was like a big horseshoe. The original bunkers were a little bit jagged and rugged, like the one down on 10. They kind of had that 'MacKenzie shape' to them, a bit like the Cypress Point look. I don't think there is anybody who would argue that Augusta doesn't look good now, but that would be interesting exercise -- to take all the original pictures, dating back to first tournament in 1934, and try to recreate that golf course. I think it would look amazing."