Notebook: Geoff Ogilvy suggests mixed-team event to join PGA Tour

 

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – Geoff Ogilvy wouldn't mind defending his title in the Barracuda Championship this summer, though that would mean he's not eligible for the World Golf Championship at Bridgestone the same week. Ogilvy much prefers Montreux to Firestone, but he would rather play for $8 million in prize money instead of $3 million, along with the prestige of trying to win a fourth WGC title.

 

The Barracuda Championship uses modified Stableford system, and that's appealing. That led to questions about how the PGA Tour could add a level of interest to a season that is 72 holes of stroke play in every tournament but two (Reno and the Match Play).

 

He came up with one solution – team competition – and two possibilities.

 

''I think it would be fun to play a mixed tournament,'' he said. ''That would be interesting, don't you think?''

 

Imagine the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour each counting it as an official event (a medalist along with a team winner). Ogilvy said he would want Lydia Ko was a partner, and who can blame anyone for choosing the No. 1 player?

 

The other idea would be a fourballs competition, much like the USGA is doing this year at Olympic Club.

 

SHOPPING LOVE: It didn't help Davis Love III that as reports emerged last week that he was chosen to be Ryder Cup captain again, he was seen with a red, white and blue golf bag with ''USA'' embroidered on both sides. Alas, it was his bag from the Presidents Cup.

 

Love no longer has a bag deal with Bridgestone (only the golf ball and the glove).

 

''I'm lobbying Jay Haas to be an assistant captain at the Presidents Cup,'' Love said with a laugh. ''I thought this would do it.''

 

As for his equipment, Love has gone back to the Titleist blades (his previous brand before signing with Bridgestone) and Vokey wedges that he had all along. He is a free agent when it comes to equipment, which is a blessing and a curse.

 

''It's fun to go down the range,'' he said. ''But I also get too much attention.''

 

Equipment companies know he's shopping and are making their pitch just about every week.

 

FAREWELL TOUR: Kenny Perry already has played four times on the PGA Tour this year, and the 54-year-old is not done yet. But he is setting a schedule with purpose.

 

''This is like a farewell tour,'' Perry said before missing the cut at Riviera. ''I'm going back to places to say, 'Thank you.' When I turned 50 in 2010, I just left. I was still fully exempt and I wanted to go back to these places like Colonial, Memorial, Byron Nelson. Because I don't plan on playing out here next year.''

 

Perry is a three-time winner at Memorial and a two-time winner at Colonial.

 

Some seniors like to pick the courses where length is not a big advantage. Power still isn't a problem for Perry.

 

''I got plenty of length,'' he said. ''It's the chipping and putting that kills me. I got the Tiger Woods syndrome. I'm not trying to knock him. I got that problem. I can't chip. I've been struggling with it for three years. I don't know why I do it, I just do it.''

 

Perry plans to play the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook to get ready for Bay Hill, which he won in 2005. He is considering the Shell Houston Open, and then he plans to play Hilton Head and New Orleans, Colonial and the Byron Nelson and the Memorial.

 

DIVOTS: Aronimink Golf Club has a vote next week on hosting the BMW Championship in 2018, according to Philadelphia news reports. Aronimink hosted the AT&T National for two years while Congressional was preparing for the 2011 U.S. Open. It was lobbying to get the PGA Championship. ... Fred Couples didn't get the Ryder Cup captaincy, so the Canada Cup will have to do. He will be the ''Team World'' captain on July 6 in Halifax. Mike Weir is captain of Team Canada. ... The USGA announced 111 local qualifying sites for the U.S. Open, which includes Oak Tree National, site of the 1988 PGA Championship.

 

STAT OF THE WEEK: Alex Cejka played the par-4 10th hole at Riviera at even par for the week without making a par – double bogey, bogey, birdie and eagle.

 

FINAL WORD: ''At the end of the day, just talent isn't going to do it out here. It's hard work.'' – Brooks Koepka.

 

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This article was written by Doug Ferguson from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.