SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – Revitalized by good form in his native Australia at the end of last year, Geoff Ogilvy tees off at this week’s Farmers Insurance Open eager to bury memories of a mediocre 2011 U.S. PGA Tour campaign.

Ogilvy posted only four top-10 finishes in 21 starts on the U.S. circuit, failing to win a title and missing six cuts after being sidelined by a finger injury in January and then by a stomach ailment later in the season.

“I’m actually quite excited because I was so broken up last year,” the former U.S. Open champion told reporters at Torrey Pines on Wednesday. “I had a few months off, and I wasn’t in contention enough.

“And that’s kind of why I play, to win tournaments and get up there on Sundays. So I’m looking forward to a year full of those types of opportunities, I guess.”

Ogilvy, enjoyed a productive return to his home country in November and December, representing the Internationals in the Presidents Cup team competition and finishing in the top four at the Australian Open and the Australian Masters.

“The Australian Masters I played really good on my home course of Victoria Golf Club,” he recalled of an event where he led by two shots going into the final round.

“I had a couple of good days and nearly won, so it was really a nice stretch of golf at the end of the year.

“After having a rough year (in 2011), it was good to get home and play some good golf. My body feels better than it did this time last year and my game feels pretty good, so I’m excited to get going.”

Ogilvy, sidelined for four weeks last year after cutting his finger on coral while coming out of the water on the Hawaiian island of Maui before the season-opening Tournament of Champions, has another reason for feeling energized this week.

He and his family relocated in late December from the heat of Arizona to the chic surrounds of nearby Del Mar on the California coastline and he has relished being able to reside in terrain very similar to Australia.

“We’ve been here since just before Christmas and it’s been pretty nice,” said the mustachioed Ogilvy, whose seven victories on the PGA Tour include the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

“I do quite a bit of surfing and this is very much like Australia around here. A lot of Australians I know say they’re comfortable around here. The trees are all Australian trees. You stole them,” he added with a grin.

“But it’s an Australian-type lifestyle, with the surfing and the beach. It’s a very beachy culture, which is kind of what we’re used to, and the climate is obviously pretty amazing. It’s been pretty good.”

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in San Diego; Editing by Frank Pingue; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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