Ogilvy criticises Woods special treatment

Melbourne (Australia): Geoff Ogilvy says he finds it "astonishing" PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley missed selection to the United States Presidents Cup team while Tiger Woods received special treatment.

Ogilvy, a key member of the International team to play the US in the biennial teams` tournament at Royal Melbourne next month, said via a telephone conference Thursday he was amazed US captain Fred Couples publicly assured Woods of a captain`s pick weeks before they had to be made. Couples chose the out-of-form former world no. 1 Woods and Tour Championship winner Bill Haas as his two discretionary picks, while Bradley missed out despite winning his major title and the Byron Nelson Championship this year. "You can`t ever say that picking Tiger Woods is a bad selection, but the way he picked him ..." Ogilvy said. "I don`t agree with the way he picked him, announcing it months early, basically telling the guys who are on the fringe of the US team there`s really only going to be one pick." "Keegan Bradley is the obvious one. He`s won two tournaments this year, one of them being a major, and he hasn`t made the team, which is astonishing really that you can do that in a year and not make the team," he added. "I`m not going to stand up and say Tiger is a horrible pick, but I`m going to say it`s very disappointing that Keegan Bradley doesn`t get to play. That`s where I`m at with it." Ogilvy said Royal Melbourne - the scene of the International team`s only Presidents Cup victory in 1998 - would again provide a definite advantage to the internationals. "It`s a pretty big advantage," he said. "You wouldn`t consider it one of the most difficult golf courses in the world anymore, but it`s definitely a golf course that rewards local knowledge." Bureau Report