[PHOTO: Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty Images]
Presidents Cup captain’s assistant Geoff Ogilvy has declared Min Woo Lee a “captain’s dream” as the International team looks to find ways to counter the might of an American team led by rampant world No.1 Scottie Scheffler.
On the day that Scheffler completed his win at the RBC Heritage to back up his second Masters victory, Ogilvy was announced as one of four captain’s assistants by captain Mike Weir for the biennial matches to be played at Royal Montreal Golf Club from September 24-29. Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman and Camilo Villegas were also named captain’s assistants.
In current standings, Lee and Jason Day would be the only two automatic qualifiers from Australia for the 12-man team with Adam Scott and Cam Davis in the frame to either qualify or receive one of six captain’s picks.
It will be the fourth time Ogilvy has served as a captain’s assistant and the 2006 US Open champion believes the International team is getting ever closer to breaking the stranglehold the US has possessed for the past 26 years.
Key to that may be debutant Lee, whose energy and crowd engagement Ogilvy saw first-hand at the Australian PGA Championship last November.
“I would’ve thought he’d be a captain’s dream, bringing in what he brings,” Ogilvy said.
“Everybody saw at home at the PGA last year at Royal Queensland how he can take the crowd along with him. He’s that sort of guy.
“He brings such enthusiasm with an unbelievable game as well. He’s clearly world-class, one of the best young players in the world, but he’s going to bring excitement and the fist pumps and all that sort of stuff.
“When the other players see that, even if they’re not in the same group, the messages get around the golf course. If Min is getting excited and doing his thing, it inspires other groups and other players to do the same thing.
“He’s tailor-made for something like this.”
On the back of his commitment to represent Australia at the Paris Olympics, Day is also set for a return to Presidents Cup competition for the first time since 2017. Day first qualified for the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2011, but injuries and form have kept him from participating in the past two matches.
Given his form the past 18 months and experience at the highest level, Ogilvy said that he will be a welcome addition to the 2024 International team.
“It is great to have him back. It looks like he’s set to be back,” Ogilvy added. “He brings a lot of experience and in these things, experience is quite important. It’s not everything, but it’s quite important.
“Clearly, he’d be happy to be sent out against anybody. He’s not going to be intimidated playing against anybody.
“His body seems to be back and he seems to have a bit of a lighter sort of feeling on the golf course. I think it got a bit heavy for him, but he seems to be in a really good spot.”
As for his own aspirations to potentially captain the International team at the 2028 Presidents Cup at Kingston Heath Golf Club in his home city of Melbourne, Ogilvy couldn’t hide his interest.
“I’ve thought about it. If I had that job, that would be amazing, obviously,” the 46-year-old said.
“I’d be a captain’s assistant for the next 25 of these if they let me. It’s just such a good week.
“If I got the chance, it’d be amazing. But as long as they keep asking me to come along, I’m going to be happy.”
