Calm Ormsby clinches maiden title

Like the tee shot on the 3rd, competing week in, week out is what Wade Ormsby terms as "making the best decision". But the 33-year-old has been in golf long enough to know that they (decisions) don't always work out.

A birdie on the 2nd and ahead by a shot, the intent was to break away from the field. Instead, when the hit sailed into the dense bushes, much as he tried, the error only had a cascading effect, and Ormsby’s title hopes at the Panasonic Open were seemingly up in smoke with the triple bogey.

The season had started on a dismal note — a missed cut and two lowly finishes; how he hoped he had followed his heart and not turned up at the Delhi Golf Club this week!

Almost at his wit’s end after the back-to-back weak finishes earlier this month, Ormsby felt little shame in sharing what he did next. Drawing up a list carefully, the Australian approached those who’d won or come close. “I asked the boys what it took to win.”

The interactions helped as far as rediscovering the zeal "to keep pushing on", and bringing about a change of heart.

The tee shot on the 3rd had been taken with the best intentions; that it did not come off exemplified the uncertainties of golf. His chances in jeopardy, the mind should have been in turmoil, instead, Ormsby relaxed.

It was a state he'd found himself in earlier this week.

Starting trouble
With a share of the lead on Day II, Ormsby was on the 6th when he started to struggle. It was a battle to regain focus but he managed to convince himself. "The next shot and the next, and things would take care of themselves," I told myself.

The line was repeated again on Sunday and it had the desired effect. Ormsby picked up shots thrice before making the turn to go into sole lead again. Walking down the 10th, the mind felt freed. It wasn't as if he'd lowered guard. A challenge lay at every bend of this quaint course, and with it was Boonchu Ruangkit's prolific run, which even saw him draw level, but Ormsby stayed unmindful. Driving him was the determination to convert the start into a decisive result.

When the eyes finally wandered to the scoreboard, it was almost over. The veteran Thai had bogeyed his 16th and with a birdie on the next Ormsby fulfilled what he'd promised himself.