Ogilvy aims to follow Scott's golf trail

Geoff Ogilvy says fellow Australian golf major winner Adam Scott is an inspiration as he seeks to emerge from a form slump.

Australian golfer Geoff Ogilvy

Geoff Ogilvy (pic) says Adam Scott is an inspiration as he seeks to emerge from a form slump. (AAP)

Geoff Ogilvy is taking inspiration from US Masters champion Adam Scott as he seeks to follow his countryman's path from slumping golfer back to world beater.

The 36-year-old 2006 US Open champion, who reached as high as world No.3 in 2008, is enduring lean times.

Ogilvy hasn't won a tournament since the 2010 Australian Open and his ranking has slipped to No.120.

He charts his fall from the 2011 US Masters, in which he played through a shoulder injury to tie for fourth.

The injury sidelined him for the following eight weeks.

"Ever since then I've kind of struggled," Ogilvy said on Tuesday.

In hindsight, he believes he rushed his comeback and tried to cram in too much practice in an effort to instantly regain form.

He's now trying to learn from Scott, who endured his own form trough in 2009, sinking from world No.3 the previous year to No.76.

Scott's turnaround began by winning the 2009 Australian Open and Ogilvy is hoping his own rebound starts on home soil at this week's Australian Masters at Royal Melbourne.

Ogilvy said it was Scott's overall approach more than the specifics of his turnaround that inspired him.

"He had massive struggles in 2009 where he was really lost on the golf course for a lot of the year," Ogilvy said.

"He sat down leading up to the Australian Open and just took stock and said `Enough of this, I'm better than this, how do I be the best I can be?'

"He sat down and worked out every area of life he needed to do and decided that majors were what he wanted to do."

Ogilvy, who admits to having had the odd fantasy about giving up the stress of tour life, said it was the desire to contend in majors again that motivates him.

That he's still making what in the eyes of most is absurd money - nearly $1 million in the US this year - also helps.

"It's pretty good even when it's bad," he admitted.

Ogilvy will play alongside Jarrod Lyle - making his professional comeback from a long cancer fight - on the opening two days this week, adding further perspective.

Defending champion Scott, fresh from winning the Australian PGA Championship, will partner young Victorian trainee pro Jack Wilson, who was third at the PGA, and Marc Leishman.

Leishman partnered Scott on the last day of the US Masters, finishing in a share of fourth, and gained plenty from his own performance and Scott's.

"You can learn a lot off him," Leishman said.


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Source: AAP


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