Ogletree confident he can ‘crush opponents’ in LIV Golf, just like Asian Tour

Andy Ogletree has had enough of watching other people play in the LIV Golf league, especially golfers he knows he can beat “any day, every week”.

The American has largely had to watch from the sidelines this year as an unused reserve, waiting for withdrawals that do not come and getting ever more annoyed with his situation.

That will almost certainly change in 2024. Ogletree is top of the order of merit for the Asian Tour’s International Series, a position that guarantees a place on LIV for the winner come the end of the season.

With two series wins under his belt, in Qatar in February and on Sunday in England, the 25-year-old has a healthy lead in the standings and a mentality that drives him to “crush opponents”.

“There are many nights [before] every first round of the [LIV] tournament when I’m standing on the range, and everyone goes to the first tee and I’m still standing on the range because no one has pulled out, I’m pissed,” Ogletree said. “I know that I can beat any of those guys any day, and I can’t wait to be able to do that every week.”

Not that Ogletree, who was without status on any tour last year, isn’t grateful to be involved with LIV, which he said had given him “a lot of opportunities”, including being able to play on the International Series and “given me a way to build my schedule, and learn how to travel”.

“There’s a lot of great things that have come from it and I wouldn’t be standing in front of you guys if it weren’t for LIV,” he said. “So, don’t take that the wrong way, but I know that my game matches up with those guys very well.”

In Newcastle, on Sunday, Ogletree romped to a seven-shot victory over a field that included 22 LIV golfers, among them Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Abraham Ancer and Matt Jones.

For good measure he also shot the low round of the day, a seven-under-par 64, matching that of Poulter’s. Such was Ogletree’s lead at the half-way stage of the final round it was unlikely anyone would catch him, but there was never any thought of letting up.

“No, I just want to win by more,” he said. “I’ve always been like that. I’m super competitive. I knew [Ian] Poulter was seven under today. Once I got a big lead, it was kind of like, ‘alright, don’t let him have the low round of the day’.

“So, I always have to find something to kind of give me the next edge, and I just like to keep the keep the gas pedal down.”

“I think I’ve proven that I should be out there and I think I’ve proven that my game matches up against those guys very well.

“So, I don’t know when that time [to discuss a contract] will be. But I’m looking forward to conversations that I’ll have with LIV Golf.”