A week before his hometown Adelaide prepares to host the biggest Australian sporting event of the year, Wade Ormsby turned back time with a second place at the Asian Tour’s Saudi Open.
The Asian Tour’s form player of the year, American John Catlin, who appears destined to lock up a promotion to the 2025 LIV Golf season via the International Series Order of Merit, was in pole position at the Saudi Open. Ormsby was nine shots behind.
But Ormsby channelled the form that saw him win the International Series Thailand in March last year. In a ball-striking clinic, he hit 16 of 18 greens during a seven-under-par 64.
Catlin won by seven but Ormsby locked up second, his best result since that Thailand victory. Ormsby’s native Adelaide is gearing up to host this week’s LIV Golf Adelaide.
“John had a big lead, it was difficult, you just want to go out and play as well as you can,” said Ormsby. “I played great. First week after 10 years with a new caddie, Mike, so it’s nice to get off on the right foot.”
Ormsby was one of two Australians who finished inside the top 10, including Scott Hend who tied eighth.
At the first women’s golf major of the year, The Chevron, both major winners in the Australian contingent, Minjee Lee and Hannah Green, missed the cut while Victoria’s Gabi Ruffels and Sydney native Stephanie Kyriacou finished as the top Australians.
Nelly Korda won her second major and fifth consecutive LPGA Tour win, matching the all-time record of Nancy Lopez (1978) and Annika Sorenstam (2004-2005).
Meanwhile on the PGA Tour, Jason Day and Cam Davis both finished their final rounds before play suspended the final round at the RBC Heritage. World No.1 and newly-crowned Masters champion Scottie Scheffler came back after the overnight delay and won by three shotsat Harbour Town Golf Links. Day was tied for 18th at nine under, 10 back of Scheffler. Davis tied 49th at three under.
At the PGA Tour’s opposite field event, Sydney’s Harrison Endycott tied for 33rd at the Corales Puntacana Championship.
On the PGA Tour Champions, Steve Allan recorded his first top-five finish on tour at the Invited Celebrity Classic in Texas while Greg Chalmers tied 12th.
Australian results courtesy of the PGA of Australia:
LPGA Tour
The Chevron Championship
The Club at Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, Texas
1 Nelly Korda 68-69-69-69—275 $US1.2m
T40 Stephanie Kyriacou 72-69-73-75—289 $37,299
T40 Gabriela Ruffels 69-73-70-77—289 $37,299
T54 Robyn Choi 73-73-69-77—292 $23,365
T70 Sarah Kemp 70-73-75-80—298 $15,150
T72 Karis Davidson 72-74-74-79—299 $14,515
MC Grace Kim 76-72—148
MC Hannah Green 77-72—149
MC Minjee Lee 74-77—151
MC Hira Naveed 78-77—155
Asian Tour
Saudi Open presented by PIF
Riyadh Golf Club, Saudia Arabia
1 John Catlin 65-67-62-66—260 $US180,000
2 Wade Ormsby 66-69-68-64—267 $110,000
T8 Scott Hend 66-67-70-71—274 $22,950
T14 Maverick Antcliff 67-73-72-64—276 $13,850
T17 Aaron Wilkin 73-64-70-70—277 $10,672.73
T28 Jordan Zunic 72-67-71-68—278 $8,280
T28 Harrison Crowe 68-71-70-69—278 $8,280
T37 Jack Thompson 71-70-67-72—280 $6,800
T43 Travis Smyth 70-72-69-71—282 $5,450
T62 Sam Brazel 70-72-73-72—287 $3,050
MC Justin Warren 67-76—143
MC Jed Morgan 73-70—143
MC Lachlan Barker 69-74—143
MC Daniel Gale 76-68—144
MC Todd Sinnott 70-74—144
MC Deyen Lawson 73-71—144
MC Zach Murray 73-73—146
MC Kevin Yuan 71-75—146
MC Doug Klein 73-79—152
PGA TOUR
Corales Puntacana Championship
Puntacana Resort & Club (Corales Cse), Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
1 Billy Horschel 67-69-66-63—265 $US720,000
T33 Harrison Endycott 68-70-71-69—278 $22,800
Ladies European Tour
Joburg Ladies Open
Modderfontein Golf Club, South Africa
1 Chiara Tamburlini 70-68-67-70—275 €45,000
MC Amy Walsh 81-80—161
Korn Ferry Tour
LECOM Suncoast Classic
Lakewood National Golf Club (Commander Cse), Lakewood Ranch, Florida
1 Tim Widing 67-64-67-66—264
Won on second hole of sudden death playoff
T84 John Lyras 67-67-76-73—283
86 Brett Drewitt 67-69-78-71—285
MC Dimi Papadatos 69-73—142
MC Rhein Gibson 69-73—142
