Ormsby hangs on by a thread
The “misbehaving” putter threatening to add to the burgeoning deficit, walking down the desolate fairways of the Delhi Golf Club can be a testing affair. With nothing but his thoughts and an on-the-rampage Lam Chih Bing for company, Wade Ormsby was feeling the pinch, reports Robin Bose.
The “misbehaving” putter threatening to add to the burgeoning deficit, walking down the desolate fairways of the Delhi Golf Club can be a testing affair. With nothing but his thoughts and an on-the-rampage Lam Chih Bing for company, Wade Ormsby was feeling the pinch. The front nine had left a sinking feeling and with every step, the attempt to quell the surge of negativity appeared to be losing steam.
“We all know what this course does,” said the Australian and heads nodded in unison. His title hopes at the Panasonic Open fast receding, the 33-year-old had to come up with a quick answer. It lay in “chipping away” at what was required. The mind may have been racing but after making the turn, calm descended. There were enough instances go back to.
Just 18, when he stepped out of the sheltered environs of his Adelaide home, “travelling halfway through the globe” on a golf scholarship to the University of Houston was a big leap. “From a big fish in a small pond”, suddenly he was “a small fish in a big pond”, and this toughened him mentally.
The skills honed, he secured his playing rights on the European Tour in 2003 with some fanfare, finishing second at Q-School in his first attempt. The card was his till 2011, and when it was gone, the focus shifted to Asia.
“Europe had its weeks but I feel more comfortable in Asia now,” he said. These weren’t the words of a man who had agreed to settle for less. After all, he had battled his way through qualifiers again. The ability to stay resolute was there from his teenage years; the yearlong stint at the Nationwide (Web.Com) Tour in the US in between added meat to the trait.
By the time he reached the 12th tee box on Saturday, the throwback was complete, and Ormsby was at peace. The baking sun drying up the course faster, ball control was of critical importance. Lots if it was on show as Ormby rarely missed a fairway from there on. Still, he finished over-par, but the final-hole birdie and a by-now floundering Lam ensured that the lead, though wafer thin, remained his.