Off course, Ogilvy proves a perfect fit
He gives sponsor its money's worth
QUINCY - Given that his work had fallen short of his personal standards over the weekend and that the $7 million
But to drive a vintage 1969 Honda Mini Trail?
"Hey, gotta have some fun," said Ogilvy.
His 6-foot-2-inch frame scrunched onto the small motorcycle late yesterday afternoon, Ogilvy provided golfers trying to play the downhill, par-3 sixth on the Quincy Nine at Granite Links reason to do a double-take. Was that really a US Open champion and the ninth-ranked golfer in the world buzzing around with a breathtaking view of the Boston skyline at every turn?
Indeed, it was, but before you think the 31-year-old Australian has lost his senses, it was all in day's work.
Maybe it wasn't the sort of work Ogilvy is known for - you know, birdies and 300-yard drives - but still, it was work that sits very much at the heart of his stature as a world-class athlete. Ogilvy had cleared most of the day to spend with folks from Puma, one of his major corporate sponsors, and the ride on the Honda Mini Trail was part of an ad campaign for the company's spring line.
Oh, and the assignment didn't call for just any collection of clothes; no, Ogilvy had on some of Puma's newest vibrant apparel, soft green pants with thin, vertical white stripes and a dark polo print shirt with a wide collar with white piping.
"Pretty cool shirt, sort of a retro look," said Ogilvy. "You could even go out to the club after wearing it on the course."
He was having an enjoyable time with the 20 or so people involved in this endeavor, from his manager, Jens Beck, to Puma's International Business Unit manager, Bob Philion, to the women in makeup and wardrobe, to those producing the ad work. While athletes get paid handsome sums to fulfill corporate responsibilities all the time, not everyone tackles them with the style shown by Ogilvy.
Though it's his on-course performance that earns Ogilvy fame and fortune, there's no denying that the endorsement deals provide a comfort and security that enable him to perform with less stress. In that respect, Ogilvy is similar to a good many of his colleagues on tour who often set aside Mondays to accommodate their sponsors.
But a peek inside Ogilvy's day showed a man who wasn't just going through the motions while collecting the shirts, shoes, and checks. When a new line of soft-spike shoes was shown to him, he nodded his approval, but after making a few suggestions, Ogilvy didn't understand why they had to go back to be tested.
"I'll wear them Wednesday [during a practice round]," he said. "I'll give you my feedback instead of having them tested."
There were shirts and pants to look at, all of them with the distinctive style of Puma, but as Philion and his associate discussed trends, Ogilvy let it be known that there was one with which he didn't agree.
"I'm not big on the yellow shirt, yellow pants, yellow hat matching," he said. "I don't think the belt has to match the shirt, and I've never felt the hat had to match the shirt."
In his down time, the Aussie expressed excitement about a return to TPC Boston, where he has finished inside the top six twice in three starts.
"I like what they did to the course," he said. "It looked great last year."
There was also interest in the European Ryder Cup situation, and while he personally was upset with rounds of 72-73 that left him outside the cut line at The Barclays, Ogilvy heaped praise on the course (Ridgewood CC) and the playoff that Vijay Singh won over Sergio Garcia and Kevin Sutherland. It was suggested to Ogilvy that it came down to two golfers, Singh and Garcia, known for their putting woes, which is where he interrupted, shaking his head.
"I played with Sergio when he was 16 and he made everything. I mean, he made everything," said Ogilvy.
With a cool and unflappable demeanor on the course, Ogilvy won an opposite-field event in 2005 and early the next year announced a deal with Puma. The timing couldn't have been better, for the Aussie won not only the
"He can sit down with someone 25 years older than him, a man who runs a company, and Geoff will have things to say to him that are interesting," said Beck.
But on this day, there would not be a lot of sitting around, save for the half-hour or so that featured a discussion on belt buckles, the practicality of white and black golf shoes ("I mean, if you could travel with every pair of shoes, there'd be no worry, but I have to pack lightly so everything goes with black and white," said Ogilvy), the necessity of a good rain suit, and his preference for colorful shirts.
There would be a wardrobe change, then several hours at a photo shoot high above the Southeast Expressway, tucked into a corner of Granite Links where it appeared Ogilvy could stretch his arms and touch the Blue Hills.
What he reached for instead was the Honda Mini Trail.
Just mixing pleasure with business before the real work begins at the Deutsche Bank Championship. 