Globe-trotting Ormsby sharp ahead of Aussie Open - PGA of Australia

Globe-trotting Ormsby sharp ahead of Aussie Open


Wade Ormsby conducts this interview as he sits on his hotel bed taking a well-earned and long overdue moment to himself.

Wade Ormsby conducts this interview as he sits on his hotel bed taking a well-earned and long overdue moment to himself.

In recent weeks, Ormsby has played tournaments in Scotland, Hong Kong, Perth, India, Turkey, Dubai and now Sydney.

He has travelled the globe and diced with the biggest names in world golf.

He has come agonisingly close to victory and walked away fortified in his belief that his game is ready to challenge at the Emirates Australian Open.

"I feel good, game is good," Ormsby said.

"The more you stack yourself up against these big players, the more confidence it gives you and the more comfort you feel playing in their presence."

"It shouldn’t affect you but until you have done it a few times, you have to get comfortable out there. I felt comfortable and that’s the biggest thing I can take from those few weeks."

Ormsby saved his best for the Turkish Open three weeks ago. Heading into the final round playing alongside Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood he held a one-stroke lead.

Ultimately, he finished in a share of fourth although the upside was that a good finish meant he qualified for the season-ending World Tour Championship in Dubai.

"Going into that week I was 78th on the money list," Ormsby said.

"We all knew top-60 was getting into Dubai. I needed a good week there. I thought top eight would get me into Dubai. I am not the sort of player who sets goals."

"Obviously I wanted to get to Dubai but my main goal was to try to play good golf and see what comes of that. I shot 65 first round, right towards the front.

"All week I was around the front and concentrating on winning a golf tournament. Even though I was leading I had so many world-class players on my heels."

"They were all there. It was a big strong field which is what you want to measure yourself against. I didn’t play poor. I just didn’t go as low as I needed to go."

"When you start playing with those big guys you just want to play as good as you can. My game feels good. I have stepped it up the last 18 months – not missing many cuts.’

"I don’t want to jinx myself but I am just trying to give myself four rounds and put myself in position to win golf tournaments."

Ormsby concedes he is still sorting out the secret to winning.

"When I first started my career I was lucky in a way that I went to European Tour school and got my card instantly," he said.

"Fortunately I got my card in Europe. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn how to win before I got there.  In the deep end I survived but I didn’t learn the knack of winning."

"All the guys who come off lesser tours learn that knack. I have had to try to fight and find a way. Now I feel as though I am starting to unlock a lot of that."

"It’s just playing good golf – that’s all it is. I am definitely getting stronger and definitely getting closer."

Close enough to win this week in a field which boasts two of the world’s top three players in Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy?
"I would have been a bit happier if I had seen some more rough out there," Orsmby said.

"We just need some more danger out there. I still don’t think the scores are going to be terribly low."

"That’s fine. There is more than one way to skin a cat to get to the top of the leaderboard."

"We all know what golf is like. It’s a fickle game. Those boys (Scott and McIlroy) are phenomenal ball strikers and players top to toe."

You’re going to get a few guys trying to have a run at them.

"It’s just whether they stick for four rounds because those guys are proven winners."


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