Ogilvy urges Australian Tour organizers to chase Tiger

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian PGA champion Geoff Ogilvy has urged local tour organizers to push ahead with an ambitious plan to lure Tiger Woods back to Australia.

Woods has not played in Australia since the 1998 President's Cup in Melbourne but organizers are hoping to persuade the American to compete in next year's Australian Open and Australian Masters.

The Australian PGA Tour struggles to attract the biggest overseas players because it cannot match the huge prize money on offer in the United States but Golf Australia chief executive Stephen Pitt said officials were working on a financial plan.

"There has been a bit of work done along those lines. It's a possibility. We just have to wait and see," Pitt told The Australian newspaper.

"Our vision for the tournament is to make it the strongest event possible and to have the best players.

"That brings Tiger into the mix. There has been a range of discussions about players, including Tiger."

Ogilvy, who recorded his first professional win on home soil with a two-stroke victory in the Australian PGA Sunday, said an appearance by Woods would provide an enormous boost to the struggling Australian tour.

"We could stack some pretty good players against him, it would be a pretty stunning tournament," the former U.S. Open champion told reporters.

"Imagine the long-term impact on the kids who would want to pick up golf clubs just because Tiger hit it.

"Imagine 25,000 people leaving the golf course telling everyone they watched Tiger Woods play and the amazing impact it could have."

(Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Ed Osmond)